Taboo
by otherrealmwriter
Summary: The Irkens have conqured Earth and Dib is the most wanted criminal hunted down under Tak's command. Dib is on the run for his life. Zim is governer of Earth too. DATR and some ZAGR. Stockholm Syndrome is involved. Rating may change
1. Subjugation

I don't own Invader Zim okay?

"Congratulations Zim on conquering this ball of monkeys and making the Irken Empire stretch to the other side of the galaxy!" Purple said as Zim smiled evilly at the humans watching on in horror. Gaz was forced next to Zim dressed in a revealing red dress that rested over her slender form. Dib was on the run. There was a 5 billion monies price on his big head. He worked hard to hide himself, but now that Earth was part of the Irken Empire, it was nearly impossible.

He was crawling on the ground hoping not to be spotted but he felt a hand on his shoulder. _This is it._ He thought. He looked up; eyes closed but in a brave spirit opened them ready to face death. Alas it was only Professor Membrane. He looked terrified. He was disheveled and his lab coat was torn. He lost weight and looked as if he was on the run for a while. "Dib!" He yelled in a whisper.

"Dad! You scared me! I thought you were an Irken Military Police or a slave driver!" Dib panted trying to keep his heartbeat down. He knew Irkens could sense panic.

"They are after me. They'll force me to make their military technology. I'll need you to avenge me." Professor Membrane whispered. Then he saw an Irken guard and hid quickly hid behind a spectator in the crowd that was rather wide. The guard looked around and then looked away and dismissed the noise as the wind. Another guard noticed this and turned to him.

"What is it Larkz?" One guard asked the guard that briefly glimpsed Professor Membrane.

"I thought I saw Undesirable Number 2, you know, the one we need to make better military technology. Professor Membrane. That will be his payment for his horrific crime." Larkz said to the other guard, Floogoo. Floogoo was a more sympathetic guard. He did not see how Professor Membrane had committed any sort of wrong doing what so ever.

"What is his crime?" Floogoo asked.

"Siring Undesirable Number 1, Dib." Larkz said severely. No matter what, he saw anything that was a detriment to the Empire in even the smallest way, was a crime against Miyuki herself. Miyuki was the greatest Tallest ever to live and because of her achievements, she was like a goddess to Irkens.

"Doesn't seem like much of a crime. Really it doesn't." Floogoo said with some confusion in his voice.

"Well it is. It is a crime to start rebellions against our way of life. If he never was the father to Undesirable Number one, we could have taken this planet much easier than we did. Dib is an annoying pest that must be squished like the bug that he is. Also Professor Membrane is one of the most brilliant scientists on Earth. The Empire could use that fact, no wait, we will use it." Larkz said.

"Well he also sired Gaz, Captain Zim's harlot and lover. She pleases Zim, the now governor of Earth. She has it made. Membrane's second child's position should balance it out." Floogoo said with a little compassion. He believed that no one should be judged because of something that someone they were related to did.

"Are you questioning Irken law? Larkz said as he turned around to face Floogoo with a death ray gun square on his forehead in between his red bug eyes.

"No! No! That's not it! It's just that…" but the rest of the sentence was never heard. Larkz had fired at Floogoo. His body fell to the cold unforgiving ground with a "Thud". He died just because he had compassion and empathy.

"You are weak." Larkz smirked. "Crime is a family affair. Gaz is extremely lucky that Captain Zim favors her and loves her." Larkz said as he smirked evilly at Floogoo's cold and lifeless corpse.

"Oh my god." Dib and Professor Membrane said as they looked on at the unbelievable sight that was before them while they hid between the spectators trying to remain unobtrusive.

"Son I have to turn myself in." Professor Membrane said looking at his feet. He couldn't take seeing his children be used and hunted like an animal. He hoped that by turning himself in, he could at least save Dib from being killed, even if it was just a feeble pipe dream.

"Dad, no you're not! I won't let you! You can't hand yourself over!" Dib whispered pulling his father down so no one would see him. Zim approached the microphone to make a statement. Dib and Professor Membrane looked over at the stage.

"Now you filthy Earth Pigs!" Zim said into the microphone. "May I introduce the Captain of Imprisonment and Torture, Invader General Tak." Tak walked on stage staring at the crowd with a murderous intent. Killing and torture were two things she wasn't afraid of doing. When the Tallest gave her this assignment, she took it up with great pleasure.

"Your filthy democracy has failed. Hell it was failing before we even got here. In fact you were as bad as you call us to be. You did the same thing we did; invade a helpless nation for greed. Monkeys are so ignorant. We Irkens will bring humanity the order it couldn't give itself. You make me sick you filthy monkeys." Tak said with a distain. "You have this warning. Cross the Irkens and be prepared to pay all costs including freedom and lives."

Dib looked up and saw Tak. This wasn't the Tak he knew and loved. All the Tak he knew cared about was destroying Zim not the human race. "You're not the Tak I fell in love with." Dib whispered to himself.

"You!" An Irken guard said noticing Dib, but fortunately for Dib this guard was very stupid. "Are you Dib Membrane?"

"NO!" Dib panicked.

"Oh. Okay. Carry on." The guard said as Dib ran off into the nearby forest.

"Stupididough! What did you do?" The other guard with him named Inteliehente asked rolling his eyes. "You let Dib Membrane get away!"

"He said he wasn't." Stupididough said thickly.

"You ideeeeeot! It was! He lied to you. The hair is a dead giveaway!" Inteliehente yelled so loud that Dib heard him.

_The hair is a dead giveaway. A giveaway that'll make me dead._ Dib thought. _I need to cut it._ He took a Swiss Army Knife out of his pocket and started to cut his hair holding the blade in his hand. "Thanks Dad for hair that doesn't cut off." But as he said this he felt the scythe hair come off in his hand. He threw it to the ground and ran off. Before he was too far away he decided to go back and singe it in an effort to try and trick the Irkens to think that he was killed. "Hope to God this works." Dib walked through the forest hoping to find a small mountain town.

(_Page__ break)_

"Mi, lady, we believe we have found Dib Membrane's remains." Larkz said as he held out the singed hair "It seems he was desinigrated. What do you think General Tak?"

Tak looked at the hair and pondered what she was told. She knew Dib better; they were romantically involved 7 years earlier. Dib was smarter than to get himself killed by a stray Irken Death Ray. But the scythe hair in her hand was another puzzle. At this she clenched her fist around the hair and looked out the purple stained glass window made into her symbol onto the cold misty and foggy scene below.

"Let me ask you Larkz…if we Irkens have desingagration rays, how come Dib Membrane's hair survived?" Tak growled in anger.

"The Membrane hair is very unique mi lady." Larkz said feebly.

"No. Our death rays would desinigrate the hair too." Tak said shooting the hair with a death ray and it disappeared. "You do realize what this means do you?" Larkz just stared as Tak turned around. "Dib Membrane isn't dead. Find him and bring him back alive. I have plans for him Special, amazing and awesome plans." She said smirking.

"Yes mi lady! Right away! We will bring you back Dib Membrane's living corpse." Larkz said.

"Yes, yes, very good." Tak said sipping a cocktail. "Miyuki bringing the humans into line is easier said than done. And Zim said this would be easy…" At this Zim barged into Tak's study followed by Gaz. Tak looked up and smirked. "Speak of the devil! It's you Zim. I'm afraid to say we have a level 4 maybe even a level 5 crisis going on."

"What do you mean? Dib is dead. Larkz told me on his way over here. His hair was found!" Zim yelled in angered confusion. Gaz looked over in shock at what she heard. "Sweetie why don't you go back to our house and wait for me there. I don't want my lily wilting." Gaz then headed back to Zim's house which now looked like an expansive palace.

"Mmmph, where'd you learn to talk like that?" Tak laughed as she sipped her cocktail again.

"Just something I picked up. Now why is there a level 4 or 5 crisis?" Zim demanded as he pulled out his death ray and Tak rolled her eyes.

"No need for that. Dib is alive; the hair was just a diversion. Too bad for him he forgot that I knew him better." Tak said as she started to laugh. "Alert the troops that Dib is not dead. I will address them on all I know and before you say anything Zim, I knew him much better than you. Now go!"

"Hey! I'm governor of this planet!" Zim yelled in annoyance. He loved his power.

"But I am in charge of human punishment and the Tallest gave me free reign. Now go!" Tak said as Zim left mumbling in anger.


	2. Friend or Foe?

I don't own Invader Zim okay?

Gaz walked along in Zim's house taking in all she heard. Larkz had told her and Zim that Dib was dead but as she left, she could have sworn she heard Tak say that Dib wasn't dead. Gaz walked down the halls to the bedroom and lay down on the bed. She looked out to the other side of the room. What she had heard was getting to her. She loved the power Zim had given her. When they were first dating before the Irkens took over Zim would always promise her the world literary. "You and I will rule this dirtball together side by side." However Tak only half heartedly believed it. She knew Zim wasn't good at global conquest.

It wasn't until a few months earlier that Zim proved himself. Gaz was over at Zim's base and GIR informed Zim that the Tallest were calling. Zim then kissed Gaz's cheek and left while GIR hopped on Gaz's lap and she stroked his head. Zim came back up with a smile on his face.

"Zim, what is it?" Gaz said as monotonously as usual but Zim could tell she was sincerely interested.

"The Armada is coming soon! Oh yeah baby!" Zim cheered "The human race will be under our control."

"What about me Zim? I'm human. Will this affect what we have? I love you." Gaz said looking into Zim's red bug eyes that reflected the moonlight. They were the most beautiful thing to her.

"No matter! I have already addressed that with the Tallest. You will be safe with me." Zim said smugly as he sat on Gaz's lap. He ran his claws through her purple hair and then kissed her to show the deep amount of affection he had for her.

Now she looked in the mirror and thought of all that was going on. Her brother was the planet's most wanted criminal and her father was the second most wanted because he fathered the most wanted, Dib. Gaz knew that she was lucky. She knew that if Zim didn't love her with all of his passion, she'd be the third most wanted criminal just because of Dib, even though she hated the human race as much as the Irkens did. _Well as long as I can get in on the art of __torturing__ the prisoners, I'll be fine._ Gaz thought as she meandered down the halls of Zim's house with an evil smirk. The door burst open and Zim came storming into the house.

Gaz turned to Zim and stared at him with love and curiosity. She cared about him with all she had and hated to see him sad or angry. This was the first time since the Irkens took over that Zim came home this angry. He walked by Gaz with an angry glare and kept mumbling about how he hated Tak. "Uhhh Zim anything wrong love? What happened at Tak's?"

"Oh that Tak, she will pay! Oh Gaz-flower, it turns out that Dib-stink is alive. Larkz is in a lot of trouble for reporting false information. Anyway Tak is just so ignorant to me! She forgets who's in charge here! Just because she's in charge of the prisoners, she thinks her rank is higher than mine!" Zim yelled expressing his irate attitude about Tak.

"Well is she taller than you? You did grow taller when the Tallest made you governor of Earth." Gaz said plainly.

"Well we're the same height." Zim said with a note of remorseful sorrow.

"Well she isn't higher up than you. Don't take this the wrong way Zim but the Tallest probably think that the torture of prisoners is just as important as ruling the planet. Makes sense actually, if you want to keep people in line, you have to uphold the law to the fullest extent." Gaz said as she turned on her Gameslave, the last one on the planet.

"Well Gaz, where do you think your brother would run to?" Zim asked.

"Couldn't say where exactly. Probablly to somewhere remote and out of the way." Gaz said raising an eye from her game.

(_Page__ break)_

Tak laid a map on her desk and looked at it. She knew that is Dib was to flee to anywhere; he'd be smart enough to try and hide somewhere he believed the Irkens wouldn't find him. "We have a lot of control in the cities, but in the rural areas, there is less…" Tak pondered as she made some notes on the map. "That's it! He's bound to be in the forest nearby! Larkz!" Tak yelled as he came running over.

"Yes mi lady!" He said trying to keep his panic under control. He knew he was in deep trouble for reporting that Dib was dead like a fact rather than letting superior officers like Tak figure out the real story or confirm his suspicions. In the Irken Empire reporting false information was a severe crime within the military, even if it was only by accident.

"Where did you find Dib's hair?" Tak asked in a slightly demanding manner trying to make it seem like she was being sweet but obviously not.

"Approximately here." Larkz said pointing to a spot on the map. "About 3 miles directly from where the announcement was made earlier today."

"Hmmmmmm...That is where we start the search. Look for remains of fire or signs of knife cuts." Tak said turning to face Larkz. "The hair looked roughly cut as if sawed away and it was singed to fake desinigagration."

"Forgive me mi lady but is it possible that Dib Membrane used a lighter to singe the hair?" Larkz said cowering. "Humans can have those with them."

"No! The singe pattern was like that of a campfire not a lighter. Do think more before you make assumptions fool!" Tak said as she smacked him. "If you had studied the hair more you'd know that too."

"Yes mi lady! Sorry mi lady. It will never happen again." Larkz said bowing repeatedly to apologize to Tak.

"Make sure it doesn't." Tak said as she poured herself a drink. "Now go! I don't have time for your foolishness!"

"Yes mi lady! I am sending my best Irkens on it." Larkz said as Tak got annoyed at him. She took a swig of her drink and turned to him.

"LEAVE ME NOW!" Tak said as she threw her drink at him. "Miyuki these people are idiots."

It was nightfall before Dib found a place he could rest in a cavern created by two large rocks placed together. "Not much but it'll do." As he crept in he expected the familiar sensation of his hair brushing against the ceiling but it was gone. It was sign to him that all he knew was turned upside down.

A flash of lighting was seen and it started to rain. Dib rummaged through his trench coat pocket and found something very dear to him. It was the locket he had with a picture of Tak and him when they were going out years earlier. Dib missed Tak's smile and how she'd abuse Zim. Whether it was pouring her lunch on him or a simple "Kick Me" sign, Tak was clever in even the most basic of tortures. It was Tak's cleverness and independence that he loved. _What side are you on Tak? I know you can't be as loyal to the Irkens as Zim is. What happened to the Tak I used to know?_ Dib thought as he looked at the locket. Frankly he didn't know whether or not he could really run for the rest of his life; the Irken influence was spreading like wildfire so it would be hard to hide very long. That and Tak was in charge of the manhunt. She knew him well and it would be hard to evade her. Even if they only knew each other by one passing glance; she was just that good.

Dib took his trench coat and made it like a door to try and protect him from the rain. He also did it to try and be seen less by the Irkens. He kept looking at it as the wind below fiercely in the storm. It made it colder and harsher. Dib wished with all his heart that he didn't have to hide the entrance to the hide out but he decided that it was for his own good. _Why did they have to take over in March? __Its__ warm one day and the next it's freezing cold_. He sat up in the cave shivering and rubbing his hands together in an effort to keep his body moving to keep warm. He wondered how everyone that he cared about was doing in the invasion. _I wish I could start a fire in this god forsaken cave but that would just give me away__. That really bites. _He looked up through a crack in the back of the rocks where they met when the storm cleared. He remembered the days where he would gaze up at the moon with the hope of alien contact.

At the same time Gaz was looking up at the same moon through the window of Zim and her's room. Zim had gone out to settle some disputes that had arose that the Tallest need him to do and make public appearances. She looked over the city with an arrogant smirk on her face and she watched Zim doing his duties as governor. "Fools. Ignorant fools." She laughed and sat on the bed waiting for her beloved to return home. The door of the bedroom opened and Zim turned off his paste protection suit installed into his Pak when Earth was conquered.

"Gaz-flower my love you look as dear to me as the sight of the Earth fools being controlled with our titanium claw." Zim said kissing her with his long Irken tongue.

"Zim, you and I will rule these people as never before!" Gaz laughed psychopathically.

"There's the Gaz I love." Zim said as he laid her on the bed.


	3. Searching for Something We Need

I don't own Invader Zim okay?

Larkz walked into the forest grumbling. He had a napkin in his hand had soaked up all of Tak's drink and some of his nervous sweat. He tossed the napkin aside and pulled out another one. "Note to self: Never-NEVER upset Lady Tak if you wish to live." He whispered as he approached the last known trace of Dib. Looking around at the area where the hair was found, he hoped to find any clues that would help the investigation go smoother. "Applacky! Look for clues! Tell me some of the ways humans can leave traces!" Larkz said in a rage that only met his mouth. His eyes told another tale. One of fear. Tak was on the edge because of him. She needed that human to be found alive or he'd be the life she took.

"Commander Larkz, intelligence reports say that there was a storm here last night." Uto, the intelligence and search commander said.

"I know that one Uto, you fool. I saw it too you know." Larkz said annoyed. He was on the edge to capture Dib. His whole job and even life depended on it. He had placed Tak on a warpath and was not going to make it worse.

"Well sir, the ground on Earth leaves traces. The dirt turns to mud and leaves imprints of being's steps. See?" Uto pointed to the trail that the search squad was leaving behind. "What is the length of Dib's foot?" Uto said. "I have been doing research to take the home planet advantage away from the humans. I really think this should be done before we invade though."

"And your point is….." Larkz asked waving his hand prompting Uto to continue. He was hoping that this would get Dib found alive much much sooner than what Tak wanted and he promised. Little help was on his side and he was having a hard time getting things together.

"Well my point is that there are footprints that are not ours in the area. And those footprints turn into a trail. A trail that, if they are Dib's footprints, will lead us to him. This trail could be your ticket to redemption with Lady Tak! All you need to do is give me Dib Membrane's physical statistics!" Uto yelled trying to get what he needed from Larkz. He needed Dib's capture to be successful as well. Uto was a major player in the Irken Planetary Investigation squad. He was severely looked down upon by the rest of the squad but he still insisted on investigating Earth before they fully took over. Invaders just pointed out the weaknesses but Uto knew what needed to really be done to fully conquer a planet. He had often gotten in trouble for following procedures so this made him think of what was wrong with the current system. On all the other planets conquered in Operation Impending Doom II he noticed the hard times the Squad had trying to capture revolutionaries and criminals. If this capture was successful then he would get the respect and admiration he desired.

"You sure this will work Uto? I mean if Lady Tak has me killed, I will personally make sure she kills you too. You know Lady Tak wants him alive and we are to have nothing with the torture right? We are to do no physical harm to him at all. Got it?"

"Relax." Uto said. Nonchalantly pushing Larkz's hand away from his face. "I have done. These methods were from the humans themselves combined with our Irken superiority. Failure will not happen at all, right hand up to Miyuki. You will have Dib in the next 48 hours."

"You better. If you don't I will kill you personally before Lady Tak does." Larkz said putting his rifle in between Uto's eyes while he looked at the gun cross-eyed with annoyance.

"Geesh. No worries sir. I am experienced in these matters." Uto said taking the notes from Larkz and adding it to the information he had. He turned away with a sigh. _I hope to Miyuki this works. Uto will not be made a fool of. _He thought as he wrote on the notes.

(_Page Break)_

Tak was busy writing notes of all she knew about Dib. "Family- Professor Membrane, father. Currently noted as the 2nd most wanted criminal on the planet. Identifying feature is the "M" shaped hair. Wears a long white lab coat. Sister- Gaz Membrane, currently under the care of Governor Zim. Dib Membrane's physical features: height about 5' 10" pointy scythe shaped hair similar to his father's. His notable article of clothing normally worn is a long black trench coat and blue smile tee." Tak said reading her notes to a red orb that captured her voice and then went out to the Irkens on the search squad. _My work is never done._ She thought as she sighed and turned in her chair.

Tak took a sip of her drink and turned to the stained glass window behind her desk. She was starting to feel the pressure of finding Dib. The fact that the Squad she was in charge of still hadn't caught him was causing the Tallest to get on her case about that. If Dib wasn't caught soon, she'd lose her promotion and be sent back to Planet Dirt. _I am not getting sent back to Dirt! Miyuki Dib, I know you never made things easy but come on! You told me you loved me! Can't you do one favor for me and be captured alive?_ Tak thought to herself as she looked at a wanted poster made with Dib's face on it that was being spread all over the city.

Tak rubbed her temple trying to relieve her stress headache. "It can't be this hard, Tak! You know him better than anyone! Now think!" Tak yelled angrily as she shoved everything off her desk onto the floor. Just then the door flung open to reveal Zim who had a rage spawned from what Gaz told him.

"TAK! I HAVE SOMETHING TO SAY!" Zim yelled as he barged through the door of Tak's study uninvited.

"Zim, you do know it's called knocking? Where you tap your fist on the door? Is that so hard? Try that next time please." Tak said annoyed. "Anyway what is so important that you must tear down my door to my private study? I don't care how urgent something is, there is no need to barge in like that. And I am doubtful of how reliable things are due to your stupidity."

"Would you say that if the Tallest barged in?" Zim asked raising his antenna.

"Yes." Tak simply smiled. "Anyway there is much I'd love to say about the pride you put in being a puppet but what is it? Did Gaz let you have your way with her?"

"Yes." Zim said proudly. Once he got the memory of the best night of his life out of his mind, his annoyance came back. "Now for the love of Miyuki, tell me you caught Dib! I will have you punished so fast if you don't!"

"No you can't. You know that. Only the Tallest can punish me and I know how to make things sound appealing to them. Offer them a bag of fresh donuts and they forget about all you've done wrong. I know my way around things unlike you Zim. You're an idiot and a fool and not fit to be governor. "



"Why you!" Zim yelled as he dove for Tak who just moved gracefully out of the way and Zim fell face first on the ground. He sat up and brushed the dirt off his pants. "Anyway I thought 'Tak-the-Dib-expert' would have gotten farther along by now."

"Well you have to remember the Irkens on the job. I can only do so much." Tak said picking up her papers. "Nice try though when you wanted to destroy me."

"Well you know the Tallest are on us to find him." Zim said standing up.

Tak smacked her face. "I know that Zim. Miyuki you're stupid. Well most of the smeets are smarter than you."

"The smeets are not smarter than me!" Zim yelled pulling out his laser rifle.

"Nice try Zim. However you would need to do better than that to scare me. You should worry more about you duty as the puppet of the Tallest." Tak said as she moved Zim's rifle out of her face.

"I am leaving now!" Zim yelled in Tak's face.

"Good. You had no reason to be here anyway." Tak said nonchalantly waving him out. Zim sulked out knowing he had not told Tak off like he wanted to for Gaz. Sure she was waiting at home for him willing to do any atrocities that he wanted to have done to the humans.

But Zim made her a promise and he would not fail her. He was going to have her be the head of torture when he ruled the planet. And he thought himself as ruler so he wasn't going to let Tak stand in his way. _I know what needs to be done. Gaz needs to find Dib for the Tallest before Tak does._

(_Page break back to Tak's study)_

Finally unwinding from the disturbance caused by Zim, Tak stared up at the ceiling once again. _My word with the Manhunt Squad and Zim, finding Dib is getting harder and harder by the minute. _She then closed her eyes and saw Dib in her mind.

"I miss you Tak. I love you, you know that?" Dib asked with a hug and a smile.

"I missed you too Dib. I love you." Tak said aloud as Ryght came in knocking on the door. The knocking rose her from her torpor and she hastily made it seem she wasn't sleeping on the job. That would seem to the rest as if she was losing her mind and near failure. Failure was not an option.

"Oh! Lady Tak did you say 'I love you'?" Ryght asked feebly.

"I said uhhhhh…'leather shoe' and if you mention it to anyone, especially Zim, I'll have you beheaded!" Tak yelled.

"Oh my…" Ryght said shaking like a leaf, read eyes widened in fear. "I was just sent here ummm…Lady Tak…to tell…you…"

"What?!" Tak yelled.

"Dib Membrane's….father…he…has been caught." Ryght said then passed out from fear of Tak's rage.

"Oh. That's good." Tak said calming her voice down. "Ryght…oh my. I guess the Earth saying, 'Don't shoot the messenger' is true." Tak then called to two guards outside. "Well bring the prisoner in to me!"

"Yes Lady Tak!" One of the guards said. They both saluted. The shorter one carried out Ryght and the taller one brought in Professor Membrane who was bound gagged and drugged.

"Here he is mi lady!" The guards then saluted simultaneously and left. Professor Membrane looked pathetic to Tak. _Obvious. He was on the run. Obvious. The dirt, the scrawny look, the dishelved and torn clothes. He tried to hide. Fool. _Tak thought with a smirk. She poured some revival serum into a syringe and injected him awake.

"What? What is it? Where am I?" Professor Membrane asked looking around.

"Good. You're awake. Now tell me, what do you know about your son and how he would hide. Answer truthfully or you will suffer horribly." Tak said with a smirk that made Professor Membrane gulp with fear.

**A/N: I have it in Irken Culture that Miyuki was the greatest Tallest ever and therefore is treated like a goddess. Irkens use, "My Miyuki" as "My God" basically. I left you on a cliffhanger there! Well thanks for reading and hopefully you will review! Until next time that is! And I will update this but I don't know how quick I will but I certainly will! Do not worry about that one! I want to finish this one really bad and rest assured that I will! Sorry for the long A/N but I had to clear that Miyuki thing up. Thanks for reading and taking the time out of your day to engage in the act of perusing my works! Wishing you well,**

**otherrelmwriter **

**aka Relm**


	4. Time is Running Out

Once again, I don't own Invader Zim okay?

"What do you want with me?" Professor Membrane yelled trembling at the smirk on Tak's face. He quickly gulped and contorted his face into a look of defiance to try and hide his fear. _Don't let her know you are afraid…. Dib said they could sense fear._

Tak smirked at him and laughed. _What a fool. His fear stank up the whole room; even a human could sense it._ "You humans have a saying right? One used is some religious ceremonies. A saying to call upon mercy from your God? What was it?" Tak asked.

"Honestly I have no clue. God and things like that are things I don't believe in." Professor Membrane said.

"Oh yeah I know what it is…." Tak said not caring about Professor Membrane's lack of spirituality. "Kyrie Eleison and it is used in Catholic Mass. You should be crying that if not aloud to yourself. We Irkens lack mercy when it comes to our prisoners. When I'm done you'll think that your Guantanamo Bay is like the Four Seasons as you people say when you want to make something horrid sound good." She turned to her desk and looked for a card key. "Ah the key to my interrogation room! I think you will find the experience to be quite awesome."

"You wouldn't dare!" Professor Membrane gulped.

"Oh you don't know what I wouldn't dare to do." Tak smiled. "You were the second most wanted criminal on this planet and that is a big deal."

"So what do you want? I'll do anything!" Professor Membrane cracked pleading to Tak.

"Anything?" Tak asked raising an antenna.

"Anything." Professor Membrane repeated.

Tak put her hand on her chin. "You may be useful to us." She put the laser gun down on the table and turned back to Professor Membrane. "You see you're a human-"

"Of course I am!" Professor Membrane interrupted.

"Silence! Do not interrupt me!" Tak said smacking him. "As I was saying, you are the greatest living human scientist on Earth correct?"

"Yes of course!" Professor Membrane smiled at the chance to show off his title. Fear would not faze him from showing off. "I have many inventions, harnessed perpetual energy and I have my own show!" _Had your own show you mean. You don't anymore._ Tak thought as Professor Membrane kept on bragging. "I am well known for my invention of Super Toast…" _Does this guy ever shut up?_ Tak thought as her rage grew inside her and she tapped her claws on her gun. "I was well renowned and I want to destroy Santa for giving me socks when I was 5 and-"



"ENOUGH!" Tak yelled. "Miyuki, listening to you is torture!" Tak noticed a smirk come across Professor Membrane's face._ Geesh he's getting ideas._ "And don't you try to torture me with your taking!"

"Why not?" Professor Membrane asked.

_For being a genius he sure is an idiot._ Tak thought as she rolled her eyes at him. She walked over to an impressive cabinet that had her symbol on it painted in deep purple. Professor Membrane looked from Tak to the outside.

_Dib is out there, maybe I can bargain for Dib and Gaz's freedom. To think, my son being hunted like a dog and Gaz is Governor Zim's harlot._ For the 6th time in the month a dark storm started to brew outside. _The sun hardly shines anymore…._ The meteorologists both human and Irken had just simply said it was just a rainy month and it would get better. In fact a pleasant day of sunshine light breeze and 55 degree weather was predicted for later in that month. Scientifically he knew the explanation to be true but he couldn't help but feel that the weather reflected the human situation. _If only I had believed Dib; we wouldn't be in this mess right now. What a fool I was not to consider the paranormal real._

"Okay fool to answer your question this is why you shouldn't try to torture me." Tak said as she gripped Professor Membrane's neck and holding what looked to be like a hair dryer to it.

"What are you going to do? Dry my hair?" Professor Membrane laughed.

"You may be one of the smartest humans on the planet but your ignorance astounds me. This is an Irken Death Ray. Not very good for long distances but in situations like this, it is perfect for killing. If you do not cooperate, be stubborn, cause trouble or talk without permission, this little baby will release a sound wave that will ground your brainstem. Now tell me what happens then. You are a smart human." Tak said. "NOW TELL ME!"

"My heart and lung function will cease." Professor Membrane gulped.

"Exactly; and what do we call people who have no heart and lung function?" Tak smirked

"Dead."

Tak walked around some more to build the tension. She wanted him to fear her and from his look he did already. "Exactly. Now you don't want that do you?"

"No…" Professor Membrane said quietly.

"What did you say?" Tak smiled.

"NO! NO! Please no!" Professor Membrane pleaded grabbing Tak's dress and crying like a child that was just punished.

"Thought so. Now do as we say. From now on you will work for us." Tak said as she said as she sat down and poured herself a drink. _Geesh I've been doing this a lot lately._ "You will spare your life that way. It's the only thing you have left. It is a very wise move indeed."

"And if I do, what will you do about Dib and Gaz?" Professor Membrane asked with a tear.

"You know the name of your son. Wow. That's real new." Tak said genuinely startled. "When I last knew him he said you just called him son all the time and nothing else."

"Something I am not proud of." Professor Membrane sighed. "But I just hope he will be alright." He was making up for the lost time he had with his children. While he never paid attention to them before he would never wish for his son and heir to be hunted like an animal and his only daughter to be used by an alien conqueror on a nightly basis. He treasured them, even if he didn't show it.

"Okay. What about Gaz? Why is she with Zim like she is?" Professor Membrane asked trying to put everything into perspective.

"Rest assured it was her choice. Out of the Membrane family she is the smartest one of you lot. She is safe and secure with Governor Zim. And to set your new discovered fatherly instincts, she _**enjoys**_ being used by him as you call it. She thinks it is her duty to eventually give Zim an heir." Tak said plainly at the news. "Now speaking of Zim, he would love to hear of this. I think the Tallest would too."

_(Page break)_

Dib had traveled for days in the cold rain and fickle weather of March and was starting to feel sick. He was developing a cold and was sure flu was soon to follow and he knew it would be hard to run with sickness. He was trying to find some old run down barn or building to hide in while his sickness passed. These types of buildings were just often seen by passing motorists on the highway and due to Irken regulations passed on driving by humans there were few of them. Because of that fact Irkens didn't think much of that either. "Make due with what you got Dib, it's all you can do." He said to himself as he walked along trying to find some suitable building to hide in. He looked up and noticed the clouds overhead look more and more ominous. _I hope it doesn't rain yet again._ Dib thought as he made his way among the trees trying to find a place he could stay. He was going slower and slower with each step due to his sickness and lack or rest while on the run.

His mouth felt bone dry and his stomach growled. _Sooner or later I'm going to have to stop_. Dib kept walking along in the mud worrying about the trail of footprints he was leaving behind. Yet as exhausted as he was he knew that eventually he would need to stop and rest. Either way, if he rested or not, he was near death anyway. After awhile he found an old abandoned barn just a few miles from the highway and woods. He opened the door and lay in an old hay rack to try and rest.

"She will find me sooner or later. I like Tak even sort of love her. So why am I running?" Dib said to the ceiling that night.

_You're running because you know she'll kill you fool! Is your love worth your life?_ A voice in Dib's head said to him as he lay back trying to sleep. Yet sleep would not come.

Uto and Larkz were following the footprints that Dib had left behind. ""'Miyuki damn it; it rains so often on this planet." Larkz cursed as the rain began to fall and Uto and Larkz activated their paste suits.

"Yes I know sir. It's the way the weather functions on Earth. Yet it turns the ground to mud like I told you. This frequent rain can help us to find Dib Membrane. Remember, the Earth tells tales all around." Uto sighed.

"You're driving me nuts Uto." Larkz whispered as he rolled his eyes at Uto. He tapped his foot in annoyance waiting for him to finish his calculations. He was determined to make up for his mistake he made and to spare his life. No one was going to mess this up for him and he was going to earn his redemption. Tak was already on the edge ready to kill causing Larkz to be the same way. Anyone who even looked at him the wrong way was instilled with the fear of death. It had gotten around that Larkz had killed Floogoo for questioning the ethics of the conviction of Dib and Professor Membrane. "Uto please tell me what you are doing. And it had better be of some use to us."

"Relax Commander Larkz; how many times do I have to say that? I know what I am doing! Who was the one that found Skooge on Blorch?" Uto said as his temper rose.

"You." Larkz conceded.

"Exactly. And who was the one who cracked some of Meekrob's secrets and found one of their major rebels?" Uto added with a devious yet angered prideful smirk.

"You were." Larkz sighed.

"Exactly and if I can find a Meekrob rebel leader I think I can find a scared human! Now do you remember what Lady Gaz said about Dib?" Uto said writing some things in Irken down on a computerized notepad. "While I disapprove of Governor Zim's love interest being a human, she also holds some keys that make it easier for us to find Dib Membrane."

_Uto you are making less sense to me each second. We need to find Dib Membrane not play Earth Boy Scouts. _Larkz thought as he continued to tap his foot at Uto. "So what does that mean?"

"She can give us psychological insight into Dib's mind!"Uto sighed as he rolled his eyes at Larkz. "Like where he would think to go to hide things he likes his determination, how long he can last on his own, etcetera etcetera and so on."

"Brilliant Uto!" Larkz said hugging Uto who sighed once again at Larkz's attitude.

_(Page break to Tak's Study)_

Meanwhile in Tak's study Professor Membrane was breathing heavily on the floor. Tak just looked on with no sign of remorse and smiled at a job well done. The information that he had given her gave her more of a clue to direct the manhunt crew. _Probing into what little he did with his kids pays off. I know a little more about Dib's slight obsessive fascinations with old barns and abandoned churches. They apparently have frequent mentions of ghosts and other paranormal stuff._ Knowing this she rummaged through her desk to find the communicator she used with the Irkens on the hunt for Dib.

"Dib's family has given me a clue. Check old abandoned buildings such as barns and churches often seen by highways. Humans often believe these to be haunted and Dib Membrane has a fascination with ghosts and other paranormal research. Also because these buildings are often old and overlooked people will not suspect to look there and therefore most intelligence officers may not either. Check all run down buildings at once!"

Uto's communicator rang of the Irken National Anthem. The message Tak said played as Uto nodded at every sentence. Larkz took the communicator, "Yes Lady Tak! Uto just suggested it! As I knew you would too. You are a most excellent leader."

The communicator rang again with Tak annoyed, "Larkz stop being a kiss up! Being the Armada's Suck Up will not help you at all."

"You know Lady Tak is right there about being the Armada Suck Up!" Uto yelled from far away not caring about Larkz.

"Hey Uto you arrogant ass wait up!" Larkz ran up to him yelling and panting once he caught up to him.

"Mighty Irken muscle ain't what it used to be? Not used to Earth's conditions? Or are you enjoying the splendors too much?" Uto smirked. "Brawn not keeping up with Brain?"

"Miyuki shut the fuck you you turd." Larkz said

"Watch your vile language. Miyuki wouldn't like you using her name like that!" Uto said.

"Fuck what Miyuki would think!" Larkz said. "Are you finding Dib yet or not?!"

"As a matter of fact I have!" Uto said motioning to the lone sound of an Irken Tractor Trailer. "We found the highway and there is an old barn. See what's on the ground for about a mile?"

"Dib's foot prints." Larkz said

"We have him now." Uto said. "My fellow men follow me!"

"They're my men Uto." Larkz sighed. "Follow Uto like he said to."

**A/N This chapter's idea of where to find Dib came while on the highway from Ohio to PA so that is that one. This chapter if for my friends Mike and Ria who liked this one a lot. Until the next one, and enjoy the cliffhanger. Remember to read (well you just did) and review.**

**Thanks **

**Realm.**


	5. Captured

**Like the previous A/N disclaimer said, I do not own Invader Zim okay? Sorry to any loyal fans who wanted the next chapter for the late update; I know there is no excuse for it. Anyway a lot has happened since I last updated this wonderful story called Taboo. I have gotten engaged and moved to a new state. I will be including some more DATR action in the future chapters and I will write some more DATR stories here soon. Any ideas, you let me know and I will write a DATR with it. God knows there needs to be more of them. **

**Well this maybe my longest A/N ever. On with the fic! **

Dib had found a batch of hay in the loft to try and hide in until the weather improved or he felt better, whichever happened to come first. _I think the weather may improve before I get rid of this damned fever_ Dib thought as he looked out the barn window _and this weather looks to never improve_. He knew that he was pressing his luck already by resting in the barn and possibly leaving a trail to him. Leaving that trail meant that the search crew after him could find him with little to no trouble at all. He had to get back into the woods as soon as possible and just play it safe; maybe he could find an old campground or shed in that area that he could hide in that was under the Irken's radar. Maybe he could live as a mountain man; _God knows a mountain man doesn't know 1808 from 2008._ A voice in Dib's head said as he curled up to sleep. _They are going to find you…and you know it… _another voice in Dib's head said then he curled up with some hay as he felt his eyes grow heavy and his fever start to increase. He made a pillow out of some hay and zipped up his trench coat for warmth.

"He's in there men!" Uto said walking a path to the barn while he was followed by an angry Larkz.

"That's MY line! This is MY assignment from Lady Tak! AND those are MY troops you are commanding!" Larkz yelled. He groaned in disgust as he stepped from mud puddle to mud puddle.

Uto sighed and stopped. "Well it was ME Lady Tak asked to help you. And she gave ME permission to take command if I felt YOU weren't doing a good enough job. So there." Uto said with a smirk. "Perhaps Lady Tak does not think you are a good enough commander. It's a real shame that she thinks a mere Planetary Scout is better than a mighty Irken Military Police Chief"

Larkz scowled and grabbed his gun in his hands. _Someday Uto you will get yours and when you do I will be laughing my ass off at you._ He turned the knob to start up the gun and imagined Uto being at the receiving end of the blast. He then smiled to himself and kissed his gun. "My precious baby, Daddy will never let any harm fall on you."

Uto heard the kiss and paused and turned around. "What did you say?"

"Nothing idiot." Larkz scowled.

"I distinctly heard you say, 'My precious baby, Daddy will never let any harm fall on you.' I have excellent hearing, you know, Larkz. You know that all Planetary Scouts do. Do not try to lie to me about what you said.

"Fine!" Larkz yelled. "I did say that! Are you happy now?" Larkz said stomping his foot.

"Well why?" Uto asked as calm as can be.

"Why what?" Larkz replied.

"Why did you say that?" Uto repeated. "As I am sure you know, I have to write reports to Lady Tak and she wants the most detail she can get." He then wrote down Larkz's quote in a notepad. "I can call this 'obstruction and/or delay of capture'" Uto wrote on "'Insubordination'… the list goes on Larkz. I am sure you do not want Lady Tak angry at you again."

"Fine! I was imagining blowing your head off with my laser gun." Larkz said.

"See now that wasn't so hard. You will only get a few notes now for wanting to off your commanding officer." Uto said.

"COMMANDING OFFICER?!!!! You got to be kidding me!" Larkz said.

"Lady Tak called not too long ago. She relieved you of duty and gave me your job." Uto said as he looked at some more footprints that were left on the ground.

"WHAT?!!!?" Larkz said.

"She said something about you being incompetent, giving false reports, something like that. Basically she said she needed someone who can produce results that were accurate than someone who would give up after seeing Dib Membrane's hair. Now your brute force will be useful in taking Dib in, so come along, no need for it to go to waste." Uto said as he kept walking and following the footsteps. Larkz grumbled following along. He stroked his gun just hoping for the chance to kill Uto and prove to Lady Tak that he was worthwhile and so she would make him head guard and forgive his mistake. While he knew that Tak was in charge, he also wanted to find something to use against her so the Tallest would give him her job and kick her aside. _If Zim can go from an Invader who destroyed Irk to a governor, then I surely can take Tak's spot. No one puts Larkz in a corner._

"Come on Larkz! This is the last time I want to tell you! Dib Membrane is in that barn and you're just standing there! Come on!" Uto said.

Larkz sighed and charged his weapon and followed Uto.

"Paste suits on men!" Uto said.

"Why?" Larkz asked looking at the sky. "It's just cloudy. Rain isn't in the forecast. Is it?"

"I studied this planet enough and I can tell when the rains will fall." Uto said. "Now you get that fucking paste suit on. Or not. I really don't care. Actually if I didn't need you, I'd order your paste suit OFF! But what do I know? I was only trained to find every clue about an enemy planet to use for our own benefit."

The troops moved along trying to get to the barn that Dib's footprints led up to. They moved along as quietly as they could as to not wake up the surrounding farmers. They knew areas like this had a lot of people who could and would stir up a rebellion. The story of the group of Grays getting shot at then the family who shot at them calling the local Sheriff was still fresh in their minds. This story was why Tak ordered a strict inspection on everything that crosses the Kentucky border. She knew that Dib would hide in a rural area and if he knew that story, which as the paranormal investigator he was that he most likely would, he would hunt the family down and obtain their help. However Uto knew unless Dib got a plane or some sort of other aircraft, he wasn't going to be getting their help. Dib was walking along the byways and in the woods, slowing him up. Uto did know of some old farms near a city called Scranton in the state of Pennsylvania and he deducted by the time had elapsed from his escape; Scranton was the farthest he would go. As a fugitive, on foot was the only way he could go.

Uto looked at the muddy footprints and charged his laser gun. _Miyuki, I hope thank thee for the abundance that I am about to receive_ Uto prayed in his mind. He pulled out a special donut he was given when Tak first commissioned him leader. "This way men! Dib is so close I can smell his fear!"

"THAT'S MY LINE!" Larkz yelled running after Uto. Uto turned around and grabbed Larkz's wrist and pulled them face to face.

"I need you to catch Dib Membrane and bring him to me. Unless you want to be Demoted, you'll do this. Zim may be governor but Tak is in an essence the Queen. Now are you going to listen to me and capture Dib or am I going to have your head?!!!!!!?" Uto whispered.

"Fine!!!!" Larkz said as he charged his laser gun and walked into the barn. He motioned for the rest of the resonance squad for backup.

Dib slept on the hay to try and relieve is fever but it was to little avail. "There used to be farm animals here not too long before the Irkens conquered." He whispered as he took his hands and splashed his face with cool, stale water which smelled like hay was dipped in it by a horse "Bleeeeffffffhghhtt……better than nothing…." He said as he patted some on his head. Then he cupped his hands and took a drink. "Much better." He said as he stared back to the hay loft. Curling back up in his bed of hay, he rummaged through his pockets where he found an old notepad from when Tak first came to Earth. Taped in there was a picture they had taken in a photo booth. She was in her human disguise and smiling. In the next photo they were pulling the sides of their mouths and sticking their tongues out in a teasing manner. The next one they were having a hearty laugh. The final one they were smiling again but Tak had a mischievous grin. Dib looked closer and noticed her doing the classic bunny ears on his head. He looked around and imagined if Tak was there.

"I betcha she'd look beautiful now. I don't know what it is but she's stolen my heart." Dib whispered holding the old photograph close.

_Why do you love the one who wants your head?_ A voice in his head said. Despite this Dib knew in his heart that it was for Tak and no one else.

Meanwhile Uto and Larkz and their army of Irkens were approaching the barn. Uto and Larkz looked around at the barn for a place they could sneak in and capture Dib. Uto looked from the barn to Larkz and back sighing. "Larkz, I must admit, I know a lot about Earth's terrain and climate but people and Earth-monkey made structures I do not. What do you know?" Uto asked of Larkz.

"Well from the farmer I tortured and coaxed information from," Larkz said with an overzealous grin, "They feed and give those horse monsters and dirty cow monsters water in troughs. I think Dib may have drunk from it before we got here. Humans need water to survive. Speaking of which, I'm thirsty." He pulled out a bottle of peroxide and drank it. "Pitiful humans. They will never know the tasty bliss of a bottle of hot peroxide to refresh them. Hell, it kills them!" Larkz laughed.

_They say the exact thing about us and ice water dumbass. _Uto thought then spoke up. "So where do you think he is?" Uto looked around a pointed to the ladder leading into the hayloft.

"I was thinking the same thing you piece of crap." Larkz said. "He needs rest. May I ask if you have ever been to Governor Zim's base?"

"No, I honestly cannot say I have." Uto replied ignoring Larkz's insults.

"Well he has a bed in there for his harlot." Larkz said.

"Lady Gaz?" Uto asked.

"Yeah. She's the only human worth our time. Well anyway, that is for her. She needs sleep until we can get her a PAK operation. Also Governor Zim says taking her there is better too. Long shit short, humans like soft and sleep better on soft. I believe Dib is in they hay. Resting." Larkz said.

Dib was fast asleep dreaming of Tak. "Dib…Dib…Dib…Dib…" he heard in his dream as a vision of Tak and a soft voice pushed him awake. "Hmmmmmmmph?" He asked. "Tak?"

"Sorry I am not Lady Tak." Larkz said with an evil grin." I am Larkz. I am Captain Larkz of the Earth Brigade of the Elite Irken Army. You my good filthy human sir are under arrest."

"Me?" Dib whimpered.

"Yes you. Lady Tak asked for you specifically. Sent the best squad under the best searching scout in her army. Miyuki! I am so going to be Promoted!" Uto smiled. "Larkz, do me a favor and stop him from running."

"With pleasure sir." Larkz said as he crept closer getting ready to use a sleeping pressure point on Dib. "May I try this sir?" Larkz asked with sarcastic concern. Whether or not Uto agreed, he was going to use the prison bubble.

"Do it. Not like I am going to stop your only good idea." Uto sighed.

"GOOD!" Larkz smiled as he fired the ray capturing Dib. "Make the call."

(_Page break to Tak's Headquarters)_

"So your men have him?" Red asked over the long distance communication device.

"Almost. Last report Uto gave, they were right on top of him." Tak saluted. "My Tallest, the Membranes will not be a bother to you anymore."

"They had better be or Zim will have this planet and control of you." Red said. "Miyuki knows we can use this one the most and I WILL NOT HAVE THIS PLANET COME UNDER REBELLION. Do you understand me Tak? Am I making my self clear?"

"Crystal." Tak said.

"Good. End communication." Red said as the screen went black.

"Curse you Dib! You're on my mind and Red will have my head if I don't capture you!" Tak screamed as she shoved her desk clear. "I WILL NOT LOSE WHAT I HAVE BECAUSE OF THAT SHITASS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

"**INCOMING TRASMISSON!" **Her messenger called

"What is it?" She asked with the frazzled tone she had from her call from the Tallest.

"Yep." Uto said. "We got him. Lady Tak we got Dib Membrane!"

Tak smiled at the news. She was still over Zim. "I knew you could do it. Uto, Larkz, you are now partners as well as Major Generals." In the background a "Shitdamnfuck! I still gotta work with that cocksucking shiteating shitass Uto!' from Larkz was heard. "Larkz, don't think I forgot. Anyway I want you to first bring him to me and that is an order."

"Yes Mi Lady!" Uto said saluting.

Tak hung up and turned to her stained glass window staring out it. "Dib you are mine."

**Well how was that? Dib captured and Tak ready for torture. Remember to read (well you just did) and review**

**Otherrealmwriter **

**Aka**

**Realm**


	6. Gaz's Love and Loyalties

**As stated before, I do not own Invader Zim okay? Thanks for all the reviews and the alerts and favs. I know that all of you who like this fic and some of my others, then you would like Dr. Lovekill's works. I know if you think mine are good, you'll love his. Enough with being an author pimp in this A/N, on with the fic!**

Gaz had the usual dinner of waffles and soda on the table, awaiting Zim's arrival home. He was suddenly called to Tak's office when the word came in. Gaz knew that it could not be something that was very good for Zim because he left in a rage. Gaz remembered how he was when Zim got the call.

_(Flashback to the call)_

Gaz was awakened from her slumber to a ring of Zim's communicator in his PAK. She saw Zim sit up and a projector that looked like a ball came out to show Tak's face.

"I got him Zim!" Tak said with an opening comment as to the polite, 'hello' that even Irkens used.

"You don't need to tell me about that Membrane-stink-"Zim said as he yawned and rubbed his eyes. He looked over to Gaz when he said, 'Membrane-stink' and changed how he said it. "I mean Professor Membrane." While Gaz had little affection for her brother, she did not appreciate it when she belittled her family. They were all she had left after her mother died, so whenever Zim belittled what she had left, she always got mad.

"I see that Lady Gaz has you whipped already Zim." Tak laughed. "The mighty Irken governor of Earth, controlled by a human, no offence intended Lady Gaz." Tak nodded to Gaz when she saw the evil look on her face.

"That's okay Lady Tak." Gaz nodded while Zim scowled. "I regret that my father and my brother have caused you this much trouble."

"You know your father keeps saying that Zim made you his harlot." Tak said as she looked to the corner where she kept Professor Membrane. "I don't know if this is the 'fatherly affection' Earthlings tend to call it. Some of his former colleagues under our employ say he could not take what became of his children. One the most wanted criminal on Earth and the other, safe and sound in what humans called, 'enemy care'. For a race so weak, they surely do not understand that one is safe and secure." Tak said. Secretly she relished the fact the Tallest did not care if Irkens mated with humans. It was rare one would develop feelings for one another in the race, let alone one of another. _And I am developing these rare feelings for the enemy? I should be thanking Dib for being such a menace to Zim that the Tallest saved my ship and giving me this job._

"Don't worry; I moved in with Zim on my own free will." Gaz said as she got up and stretched. "If my father sees that as a betrayal to him, then I am sorry. My heart belongs to Zim and I will not let petty family loyalties get in the way of the one man in the Universe that has my heart. I could never let him down. Letting him down would be like me letting myself down, and I NEVER let myself down." Gaz smirked

"Good. If the humans see that you went of your own free will, they should, or at least I hope that they assume that we are good to them and be less willing and desirous of resistance." Tak said. "There are times I wish we hadn't destroyed Miznee Productions. Miyuki knows that the fangirls of that company are perfect soldiers for whatever cause we set out there. Girls of prepubecance are some of the most vicious out there. They'd take bullets for whoever was popular. If we controlled that and McMeaties, like Zim said, we'd rule the world." Tak sighed. "These humans. I don't know what is up with them, but sometimes I don't know if even Irken cruelty will bring them into line. Some of them have no concept of how precious it is to be alive and risk it all to bring a superior force down." Tak then sipped yet another cocktail.

"Alcohol can be addicting, no?" Gaz giggled as she saw a few more cocktail glasses behind Tak.

"Yeah, but when you got incompetency everywhere, I can understand its usefulness." Tak sighed.

It was at this time that Zim was finally ready to head out to the mansion that Tak had her headquarters in. "Now I told you, is it Membrane?" Zim said.

"No, better." Tak said with a smile that made her look like some sort of demon who looked as if it found something it liked more than anything else in the world.

"You don't mean…" Gaz started.

"Yes, I mean him." Tak said as Gaz nodded.

"Him?" Zim asked.

"Yes him." Tak nodded.

"Dib?" Zim asked with his one of his antenna raised in a most curious fashion.

"YES!!!!!!!!!" Tak and Gaz yelled

"Great jumping chili bean!" Zim said as he headed out the door giving Gaz a kiss on the cheek. He headed out the door of the bedroom and to the docking bay to take his voot cruiser to Tak's mansion head quarters.

After that, Gaz headed into the living room to await Zim's return back to their house and to talk about all that had happened at his meeting with Tak. She sat up and looked at the clock. "3 o'clock" She whispered as she saw Zim's voot cruiser leave. She knew that it may be awhile because she knew that Tak would want to rub it in his face. If there was one thing she didn't like about Tak, it was the fact she always was putting Zim down. The way she heard the tale of Tak's hatred for Zim was that he got a planet for Operation Impending Doom II and she didn't and now that the Irkens had taken over she was mad because she got the lesser position. However, Gaz understood the power of criminal punishment in controlling people, so she struck a deal that if ever Tak needed help, she was to contact Gaz. Zim approved of this because he could use Gaz as an intell on Tak. Zim knew deep down, (he was barely able to admit it to himself), that Tak was more talented and had more favor with the Tallest than Zim did. She was ruthless and did anything to make sure the mission was a success. Zim, well he didn't quite have her talent and he knew (or at least he convinced himself) that she was vying for his position so that she ruled the world of humans and everyone had to bow to her, not Zim.

In all actuality however, Tak didn't care. She was fine with her position because she knew, unlike Zim; she was the one with the real power over the humans. Fear was a wonderful weapon when it came to controlling. Most of the human population was afraid of dying and would use almost any means to stay alive. Some were idealistic and fought the Irkens, but with Tak's punishments and the rumors spread from what she had done, the rebels were diminishing pretty much on their own. A lot of the people didn't want to have their friends, family and people they said "hi" to once on the street killed for something that they did. Tak knew that psychological punishment was one that was worse than physical at times. She used physical on rebels lower on the wanted list, but psychological was for the ones higher up and more wanted by the Tallest. Tak was getting everything Professor Membrane knew because she was saving the worst of it for Dib. _Are you going to use it though?_ A voice in Tak's head rung. _You never were really fond of the Tallest. They could have given you another chance at your test. You could have retaken it easily. Remember the cadet rules? _"One may have another chance at the Invader test if for some reason the machinery malfunctions." Tak said aloud as if to answer her mind's own question.

"Ummmm…. Lady Tak?" A timid cadet who was working as her adjutant

"What!?" Tak yelled. _I am getting tired of these adjutants coming in when I am having some personal reflection. I will say they have impeccable timing. _

"The Tallest are here. They said they want to see the arrival of Dib themselves. They want to see you start the punishment on him. Almighty Tallest Red wants him dead but he will settle for horribly maimed and in pain."

"You know Cadet Kelllock," Tak sighed. "Life for us females in the Irken Army is no cake walk." Tak walked over and made another cocktail before the Tallest and she knew who else would be coming that Kelllock didn't tell her about. Zim and Uto and Larkz would come into her study with Dib and some of the utmost fear, respect and hatred for her. She knew that Tallest Red was on her to torture the prisoners into submission and maybe even to obey and serve the Irkens, Tallest Purple 'liked her style', Zim wanted her dead and/or disgraced, Uto was ready to die for Tak and Larkz wanted Tak to die and hoped Uto would in the process. The only person who she cared about and wanted to know what their feelings was Dib. She knew he had to be scared. She knew he would wish for nothing more than freedom or death. _But what if he wishes for YOU and not dead… _Tak thought as she stared at the door of the study. Cadet Kelllock then interrupted her silence.

"Ummm… Lady Tak? How is life harder for us females?" She asked trying to bring Tak back to her attention.

"Only in the fact everyone thinks the ones higher up seduced others to get what we got when we really worked hard for it." Tak said crushing the glass she had in her hand at the thoughts that crossed her mind. She thought of all that she had been through and how her leaders gave her this position to make everything okay. Like spending nearly 7 years floating in the Earth's Solar System, barely clinging to life, about ready to call it quits when the armada saves her. Her hatred for Zim running so deep, she was about to bring Gaz in on some trumped up charge to show him what it is like to lose everything most precious to you. Tak was almost ready to shoot the Tallest dead when she heard a familiar nasally and a familiar LOUD voice in the door way both say, "TAK!"

"Yes Tallest Red, Governor Zim, how are you today?" Tak asked holding back the string of filthy and vile insults and the murderous desires she had built up in her heart.

"Fine." Tallest Red said. "I will be better when Undesirable Number 1 is brought in."

"Same here." Zim smirked. "I want to deliver the first beatings on him. All those years of trouble…" Zim growled rubbing his hands together as if he was choking an invisible Dib.

"Do not worry." Tak sighed. "Uto and Larkz and their men will be here soon enough. "I would suggest you get Gaz and bring her here. Uto and Larkz are still about an hour off and I want Dib to see both of you together. His beloved little sister with the enemy of her own free will will crush him like a bug in spirit."

"Don't worry. I'll get my beloved Gaz." Zim smirked as he headed back to his voot cruiser. Any chance to destroy Dib in his mind and be with Gaz was a win-win situation to him. He didn't care if Tak got the credit for leading the capture or not. He would have his own revenge on Dib by way of Gaz. He flew over to his base and opened the door. "GAZ FLOWER!" Zim yelled.

"Zim?" Gaz asked staring at the waffles and soda. "I knew you would be back home about now." Gaz looked over and saw that the voot cruiser was still in the front yard hovering. "What is it? Why do you have to leave again soon?"

"Bring the waffles!" Zim yelled as he threw Gaz a bag. "Put them in there and bring the sodas. Tak has requested us be present for when Larkz and Uto bring Dib in!"

"They're bringing him in to Tak?" Gaz asked.

"Yep the Tallest are there and Tak says we'll be some of the first to torture him." Zim said as if he had just been named Tallest himself.

"Good." Gaz said with a smirk. "Will my father be there?" She asked.

"Maybe." Zim said as he pulled Gaz into the voot cruiser and headed back to the mansion of Tak's where Dib's punishment was about to begin. Gaz was sitting behind Zim looking down on what used to be Manhattan Island before the Irkens invaded. She saw all the abandoned financial buildings and everything that used to be East Coast money abandoned and tore down to make way for Irk's progress. She savored the sight with glee. She had distained what humanity had become and saw there was no better punishment for it to be all taken from them. She saw people who preyed on others when they were in vulnerable positions in life and used others to make themselves wealthy now barely clinging to life themselves and being used by a power who had more firepower than they could have hoped to have found in their lives before Irk invaded. Gaz loved it and knew she was going to be safe as long as she was with Zim. She had no plans of leaving him so she knew she was safe.

"Look!" Gaz said as they were nearly to Tak's mansion.

"The captive caravan." Zim smiled. "That must be Uto and Larkz and of course, Dib." Zim smiled with a most evil grimace.

"Exactly." Gaz said as Zim landed and the happy and vindictive couple headed to Tak's study followed by Uto and Larkz with their prisoner. Gaz and Zim headed in with the caravan that held Dib in it. Dib was in a cage that had a purple cloth draped over it there was a rustling heard from it where Dib shifted with the cage as to not get roadsick from it. Zim burst open the door with great accolade to himself.

"TAK!" Zim yelled. "Zim is here with Lady Gaz for the beginning of that Dib-stink's torture!"

"We get it Zim!" Purple yelled covering his ear. "Do you have to be so loud?"

"Not really." Zim said as calm as if someone had asked him if he had the time.

"Lady Gaz?" Professor Membrane asked. "What is the meaning of this?"

"Quiet you!" Tak said as she kicked him in the stomach.

Gaz heard her father's query and looked over with a smirk. She knew he was never there for them and she was ready to show him where here heart really belonged. Blood may have been thicker than water but that blood had to be worth her time and to have treated her well before she acknowledged the old saying. "That's right father. I am siding with the Irkens. I love Zim and I went to him of my own free will."

"WHAT??!!!!?" Dib said from under the cover.

"Party pooper." Larkz said. I was hoping he would stay quiet until the unveiling. Larkz then threw off the cover and coughed. "Almighty Tallest Red, Almighty Tallest Purple, Governor Zim, Lady Tak, Lady Gaz, may I present to you, Undesirable Number 1, Dib Membrane. Sorry to offend you Lady Gaz."

"No matter!" Gaz laughed evilly. She then reached over and kissed Zim deeply. Zim wrapped his long Irken tongue around hers and grasped Gaz's bottom looking over his shoulder to make sure that Dib could see it. He wanted the shock of his sister's betrayal to sink in deeply and to break his spirit. Dib was mortified. He thought Gaz was only with Zim because Zim forced her to. He always thought that Gaz would be on his side, no matter what. Blood was thicker than water after all, she was family and family was not supposed to turn their backs on one another. They soon broke apart and Gaz turned to see her brother's shock. "I bet you never thought I actually loved Zim did you? I guess I am good at acting like that. Blood may be thicker than water but I wonder why you never were concerned about me huh?"

"I was!" Dib pleaded.

"No you weren't. Everything I did with you revolved around you insane obsession with Zim. I grew despondent and knew I was never going to get any sibling love from you. I figured, fuck the blood, and go with Gaz's heart. I was only born a Membrane. Doesn't mean I really would sacrifice my happiness for the sake of the males of the Membrane clan. I was looking out for only one Membrane-Gaz!" Gaz said. As she said this, Dib and Professor Membrane's faces fell fast. It was as if Gaz's true love and loyalties were an Irken Death Ray.

"That's my Gaz-flower!" Zim said as he kissed her.

**Well how was that? Good? Bad? Shocking? Dark? A waste of your life? What will Professor Membrane and Dib do now that they know Gaz's feelings? What are Tak's tortures (if she really will) and where does her allegiance lie? Well you are going to have to wait until chapter 7! So remember to read, (well you just did) and to review! So, ciao for now,**

**Otherrealmwriter**

**Aka**

**Realm**


	7. Tak Alone With Dib

**I do not own Invader Zim, okay? I know I have not updated in awhile and I am sorry. I've got about 13 or 14 (too lazy to count) other stories that need updating and two of them I get hounded on if I do not update right away. So, some of my other fics had to take a backseat for a little bit, but I am adding chapter 7 to all of my 6 chaptered fics that are not completed yet. Therefore, that means ****The Tallest Dilemmas****, ****Between Love and Apathy, ****and**** We Don't Always See Eye to Eye**** will be updated along with ****Taboo. ****Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!**

"Well," Tak said as she saw Dib's tortured look at how Gaz proclaimed undying love for Zim and denounced her Membrane blood. "I can see that Lady Gaz sure understands the power of psychological torture."

"And that is why I love her!" Zim yelled as he pulled Gaz closer to him, holding her bottom, and wrapping his long snake-like tongue around hers.

Dib looked on in horror. He could not believe his sister turned on her family and the human race as a whole. Dib and Professor Membrane could not believe Gaz was so jaded on her family and humanity to say such things. Gaz was no longer their sister and daughter; she was part of the group that was loyal to the Irkens. Dib looked on from Gaz and Zim then to Tak who was looking on Professor Membrane and Dib with superior pride. She knew Gaz was one of the most excellent tools for torture and she was willing to do it for Zim.

Tak looked over to Red and Purple. She knew they approved of what she did. "Good work Tak." Red said. "We'll take the scientist. Maybe he can be of use to us. If we show him the power Purple and I have, he will serve us. We can get the whole Membrane family under Irken rule." He looked over to see Zim and Gaz, tapping their feet in anger.

"Sorry Governor Zim. We did not mean any offence to you or Lady Gaz." Purple said.

"Good." Gaz said as she looked at Purple.

"I will not cross you Lady Gaz." Red said. He knew all too well how Gaz could be if he crossed her.

Zim did not care that Red and Purple were taller than he was, no one would mess with Gaz. She was making a stance as the top human and letting the Tallest know she was not going to be pushed around because of that. In Gaz's eyes, she had more allegiance to the Irkens, so she expected to be treated as such. She was as tall as some of the generals and knew she was to get as much respect.

Tak looked on and sighed. She knew she had to break this up eventually. Dib was cowering in fear in his cage and Professor Membrane was looking on as if someone ripped out his heart. Larkz was standing beside Dib's cage tapping his laser gun on his leg, looking as if this confrontation was one of the most boring in the world. Every once in awhile he would look over at Uto with a death glare. Larkz could never forgive Uto for showing him up at his assignment. He looked on, trying to plot a way to kill Uto without Tak then killing him for killing Uto. Larkz knew Tak was more appreciative of Uto's work than his was, so whatever happened, had to seem like an accident.

"Well, no matter how happy an occasion this is," Tak sighed as she rubbed her temple, "I must ask all of you to take your leave. You see I used to know Dib pretty well, so I know the best ways to torture him. I know you all have other things to attend to. Uto, Larkz, take Professor Membrane to the prison, I will see to him later."

"Yes mi lady!" Uto said saluting Tak.

"I'll take a hold of Membrane." Larkz said as he tugged on Professor Membrane's coat and walked out. He looked on as Uto bowed and acted like a kiss-up to Tak.

"Let me go!" Professor Membrane said as he tried to elbow Larkz in the face.

"Enough!" Larkz said as he pistol-whipped Professor Membrane unconscious. "I have heard enough out of you. You may try to fight it, but you are not going to win against us. We have this planet. You are an inferior race. Humanity is a scum on the Milky Way. You are an inferior race who will never take back your planet. You do not deserve it. You ruined it. Earth was like a Voot Runner someone ruined and then sold, leaving the buyer to fix it. I would think you would be grateful we haven't killed you all yet and just blew this rock up." Larkz said as he kicked the unconscious Membrane in the stomach.

"Dad! No!" Dib yelled from his cage that was now beside Tak's desk.

"Well well well…" Tak smiled. "I see you also have a soft spot for your father. I would have thought you would have resented him. All those years of not believing you, calling you crazy, leaving you to an insane asylum…" Tak said. Dib looked over at Tak in a rage.

"Shut up Tak. You don't know anything you fucking sell out bitch." Dib said with a note of resentment.

"I will ignore that for now." Tak sighed looking away from Dib and over at Larkz and Uto who were setting up a hover cart for them to carry Professor Membrane to the prison. "Maximum security. Who knows what that Membrane idiot will try to do? If he gets too out of line, I give you permission to kill him. Less Undesirables we have on this planet, the better."

"Yes mi lady!" Uto and Larkz saluted.

"But use discretion. If we can convince him to work for us, there is no need to kill him. Membrane is a good and well-known scientist. His brain can be used for our advantage."

"Yes mi lady!" Uto said while Larkz looked down.

"Fine, if you need to kill him, Larkz, you will be the one to do it." Tak sighed as she motioned to Larkz. She added to Larkz as if she could read his mind. "You will kill Membrane only. I know you have a deep resentment to Uto, but face it, he is much better at finding rebels than you are. He is the brains and you are the brawn. Alone you two are pretty weak, but together you are a force the humans will fear. Do not kill Uto, Larkz. It will be one of your worst mistakes." Tak said.

_Awwwwwwww … fuck off 'Lady Tak', you don't know what you are talking about. I know Uto needs to die better than you do. What will you say if he is accidently killed huh? Betcha you wouldn't know what to do then._ Larkz thought as he walked out of Tak's parlor.

"You know Larkz, I'm sorry if I come off as an arrogant what is it humans use for a vile insult…?" Uto said as they left.

"Son of a bitch?" Larkz suggested.

"Yes!" Uto said. "I have to admit what Lady Tak said was true. If not for your brawn, I may have been able to track down Dib Membrane, but I could not have captured him without killing him. You were able to help me fulfill my, or should I say, our, mission."

"You coming onto me faggot?" Larkz asked in repulsion.

"My word, teammates do not have to be lovers, you have been reading too much anime fanfiction left from the humans' internet." Uto sighed as he put his hand on his forehead. "However, we need to go to the maximum security prison. Membrane needs to be handed over to some of the fiercest and best guards Miyuki has ever seen."

"Fine." Larkz sighed as he programmed the hover cart holding Professor Membrane's unconscious body in it. "As long as Lady Tak doesn't tell us to have gay sex or something like that, I'm okay, I guess…." Larkz said as he charged his laser rifle, and kept an eye out for any rebels that might ambush and rescue Professor Membrane. Larkz then looked around and saw that they were heading into a rural area where some people still had guns and ammunition. If he could work it, Uto would be dead and not by his hand. "Hey, let's take this path; I think it's a shortcut."

"Fine with me." Uto said as he directed the hover cart.

_(Page Break to Tak's study)_

"You couldn't make this easy, could you Dib?" Tak said as she smacked his face.

"What?" Dib pleaded with Tak. "What are you talking about?"

"I have had the Tallest and Zim all over me to capture you and you ran. I know you still love me, so why did you run?" Tak said.

Dib looked on in confusion. Tak was hunting him down and now she was falling apart. He could not understand it at all. Here she was, in charge of torture of prisoners, after she had authorized Uto and Larkz to kill his father if need be, after she did all those horrible things to get him in her clutches, she was breaking down. _How could it be? I mean she wanted me dead! She had a bounty on my head! Now what is happening to her?_ "What's the matter Tak?" Dib asked as he looked upon the form of the girl he had always loved and admired, breaking down in front of him.

"YOU!" She bellowed looking at Dib. "You see, I apparently have some feelings for you remaining from our last encounter. When I heard I was assigned to see to your torture, I swallowed them and put Uto and Larkz on your capture. I honestly did not think they would succeed. You see, you fooled Larkz by cutting your hair," Tak motioned to the stump on Dib's head. "Now, the Tallest expect you to be tortured to death. If not, I am dead. They saved me from floating around in space forever before they Invaded. I owe them! Now," She said as she pistol-whipped Dib, "I am in charge of Undesirable Number One aka YOU!"

"But do you want to obey the Tallest?" Dib asked rubbing his head.

"Not really…" Tak said.


	8. Rebelling and its Risks

**As you should know by chapter 8, I do not own Invader Zim okay? Sorry for the late update on this story. I will try to finish this fic by spring of 2011, so expect more updates here soon! Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!**

"You do not have to follow them you know. Real leaders would take care of their soldiers." Dib said. "If you loved me, you would help me rid Earth of the Irkens."

"If I did that you couldn't live anymore. No one on either of our planets would accept us. You and I will be killed no matter what we do." Tak panted as she banged her fist against her desk, spilling her drink onto Dib. "Whatever happens to us, we are bound to die by the hands of the Irkens."

"WHAT?" Dib yelled.

"You heard me."Tak said. "By the end of this, whatever you want to call our little liaison, we will be dead. I cannot stand much more of this incompetence and all of Zim's threats to me and Gaz's sniggers. Someday, I can see Zim and Gaz getting in a fight with me. I know Zim is pretty well trained but still incompetent, but Gaz, well…" Tak faded off.

"Trust me, with Zim training her in the ways of Irken Elite fighting; she will be as powerful as you." Dib said rather despondent.

"You are seeing how ominous our situation is. No matter what, one way or another, we are going to die." Tak said.

"Yeah…" Dib said looking down. "Would my death prevent yours?"

"Doubt it." Tak said. "Zim and Gaz want to kill me anyway and I know they will anyway. Zim would do anything to have total control of Earth. Hell, if they get the bright idea, they will try and take the whole Empire from the Tallest."

"Wow. I guess I should have expected that out of Gaz." Dib sighed as he looked down at his feet.

He hated to admit his sister was no longer an ally. Dib wanted more than anything to have both Gaz and his father aid him against the Irkens. Now, Professor Membrane was captured and headed off to one of the highest security prisons Irk had on Earth to be tortured starved and his skills to be used for the bettering of the Irken Empire. Gaz had sold him and his father out to the Irkens for her love of Zim. Now Dib was seeing the reality of his impending demise and how he could not spare Tak from a horrible fate if he was not killed soon. _I hate putting Tak into this position. She is going off the deep end trying to figure out what to do with me. All this started because of Zim though… this is his entire fault!_ Dib looked up at Tak and sighed.

"You ever try to take out Zim?" Dib asked of Tak.

"No." Tak said. "He's the governor of Earth. Our rivalry is well known in the Irken Empire." Tak sipped her drink. "I would be the first suspect and to the Tallest, the first suspect is guilty as charged. Why do you think you were wanted as quick and as unopposed as you were?"

Dib sighed. He knew that humanity knew well the power of the Irkens as well as how they would do anything that Irk told them to do. Humans were cowardly animals that part of Dib wondered why fought so hard to keep humanity safe in his darkest moments. However, a new desire to keep Tak safe was blooming in his mind and heart. She did not really want him dead, she was only following orders. She really would not torture him either. She was hoping to bring him in to use her power to protect him. Dib saw it all clearly now. Tak was under stress from her position of power.

"I wish I could rip my heart out and make this shit easier." Tak said as she downed yet another cocktail. "You know, you humans got something right. Cocktails make things easier to handle."

"No it doesn't. When you sober up, things will be double trouble." Dib said. "Why don't you help me rebel against Irk?"

"Why? I told you before, we'd be dead." Tak said. "Your sister would be the one to kill you. I can see that clearly now. Zim and Gaz would love that if we did. Zim would have Gaz in my position and he would have total control of Earth. Sometimes good intentions turn out horrible. That Old-balum- um or whatever is a perfect example."

"Obama" Dib corrected.

"Whatever. You see what happened to him even before Irk Invaded." Tak said. "We were merciful compared to your guys' GOP."

"I know…" Dib sighed. That made him really think of how humanity was not worth saving at times. Over the thousands of years of human existence, war was the main feature. Peace never lasted more than a generation if that. "We can change that!"

"Yeah, right. You know as well as I do that changing humans is like changing Irkens, it is not going to happen Dib. I know you want our love to prevail and I agree that in a world where humans had control, we could pull the wool over their eyes as me being a human and we could live a normal life but Irk will not let go of Earth so easily when we have aluminum power cores, paste, and oil." Tak said. "Irk doesn't have any of those and don't get me started on the Platinum fashion increase."

"I know!" Dib snapped. Tak was a hopeless drunk and he had to get her to see why he was willing to give up everything to free Earth from Irken rule even though humanity was often hopeless at times. "But we have got to risk it! It still could happen. We need to take a chance, roll the dice! If we win, we will have all the love we ever wanted and can have our happily ever after." Dib smiled to the frantically stressed out Tak.

"What if we lose?" Tak whispered looking away from Dib's passion for her.

"I'll take all the blame." Dib said. "You will go back to what you have now, and I will spare your life as best I can. You will be safe no matter what. I will pay your price for you if something happens to us."

"Really?" Tak asked looking up at him.

"Really." Dib said kissing Tak on the lips. "Whatever you were ordered to do to me, we can fake it. I fooled Larkz the first time didn't I?" He motioned to his frayed hair on top of his head. "We can make you look like you were captured. I know how to blame it on someone else. I learned these things well as part of my paranormal investigation skills. I set it so The Tallest themselves will think you and I have been captured. I can blame Larkz if you like."

"Nah, I already punished him good enough." Tak said. "He fucking hates Uto and now he and Uto are the same rank and have to work together."

"I bet he hates you now." Dib laughed.

"More than you will ever know." Tak smiled looking back to Dib's hopeful smile.

_Page break to a rural pathway to the Maximum Security Prison._

Uto and Larkz were looking around suspiciously. Uto was seriously beginning to doubt Larkz was right about this pathway being a shortcut through the woods. Uto knew Larkz was out to get him and knew Larkz thought the woods and rural area was good enough to hide his body. _Larkz will kill me and have the angry secluded humans in these rural areas will burn my body and act as if I never existed. I need Tak and the Tallest to avenge me if something should happen to me. If I die here, Larkz would get all the glory._ Uto looked around. No houses were to be seen, so no angry people would kill them for merely existing and walking on a pathway by their house. Uto did not trust these rural people to keep out of the way and quiet when Irkens went by. These were the kind of people would defend to the death their homes.

"Turn this way." Larkz said walking closer to a barn with a bunch of chickens and pigs in the area.

"You sure?" Uto said waking closer to Larkz. Uto was only a tracker he was not a fighter. He actually feared unlike Larkz.

"Positive. It is nearly dark. No one would be outside now in this part of the country. People here fear snakes more than us and it is almost snake season. Besides we went this way when we found Dib remember?"

"Oh, oh, yes yes it was." Uto said as he followed along Larkz.

_Your fear keeps your memory dull. I will have you killed and because these people will not tell anyone anything, your death will be quick, loud and no Irken but me shall know you were killed by an inbred hick with a 12 gage shotgun. _Larkz smirked to himself as he carried along Professor Membrane's cart with his unconscious body in it. "Besides, no human uses barns anymore. They simply do not care unless they are a farmer and farmers are so stupid, they wouldn't care." Larkz said reassuring him to his doom.

"Of course!" Uto said. "Our firepower is better than theirs is."

"See, why are you so scared? Let's go." Larkz said, making sure to scare some of the chickens and the pigs to attract the farmer with his gun. He knew if he took one look at Uto, he would kill him. This may not have been deep in Southern Appalachia, as he knew a lot of the gun killings of Irkens were, but this was rural Pennsylvania in between Scranton and New York City, so a farmer would have a shotgun to kill anyone who messed with his livestock. He would be tough living so near to two major rules of Irken power. They had managed to resist so long, they were a force to be feared.

"STOP MESSING WITH THOSE PIG-SMELLIES AND CHICKENS!" Uto yelled over the chickens and pigs. Soon a light was seen and a door burst open.

"Who's out there?" The farmer called with a ratcheting of his shotgun. "I have a shotgun filled with .00 buckshot. I know an Irken scum is out there! You called my hogs 'pig-smellies'. You people do not pick up local lingo very well. Saying 'pig-smelly' here is like signing your own death warrant!"

"OH DEAR GOD LARKZ!" Uto yelled, frozen to the ground. "LARKZ?" he asked when he turned around to see him gone.

The farmer walked closer to Uto with an evil and menacing grin on his face. He had waited for since the Irkens had arrived about a year before this moment. He was going to get to bring down an Irken officer with old-fashioned lead. "I can see you are pretty valuable to the Irkens."

"How?" Uto asked in a panic.

"Because you are nearly as tall as I am. God, you fools don't think us country bumpkins notice that you scum are given rank based on height?" The farmer replied.

"Oh." Uto sighed.

"You scared boy?" The farmer laughed. "Well you should be. Your demise is now!" with a squeeze of the trigger, Uto fell to the ground dead.

Larkz could not help himself. His plan, the one that was so unlikely to work, had actually come to pass exactly like he had planed it to be. He burst out laughing at Uto's demise. The laughing had attracted the attention of the farmer with the shotgun. He rustled the branches of the bush Larkz was hiding in and looked down, ratcheting his shotgun again. "Thanks for killing Uto for me." Larkz said nonchalantly.

"No, thank you for sending him to me. You are going to join him." The farmer said as he fired into Larkz before he could pull out his laser rifle in defense. "You are the scum of the Irken scum." The farmer said as he turned away from Larkz's decapitated body heading back to his farmhouse. Not paying too well attention to what was around besides two dead Irken Generals. He never noticed Professor Membrane until he tripped over his unconscious body in a cart. "What the?" he asked when he looked around and saw that they were carrying a prisoner. "Why this guy looks familiar…" He said as he took the body back into the house to heal up. "I think this is that Professor Membrane fellow…"

_Page break to Tak's Study._

"Ready?" Dib asked as he packed up the last of the weapons and supplies from Tak's Study. Tak was making sure that the place looked like she was captured and kidnapped by a big rebel band.

"Done." She said as she planted the last of the bullet slugs and laser burns. "Glass broken, faux blood both Irken and human and remnants of gun fights. All done."

"Nice. Now let us head to the woods. I know where some rural people may be able to help us. I did not ask when I was on the run because I did not want them hurt because of me. Now I am ready to fight. Be sure to turn on your disguise. Do you still have it?" Dib asked as he took Tak's hand.

"Duh." Tak said as she made it look like a girl of 18 who was traveling with Dib. "Don't think I forgot about it."

"Good." Dib said. "Let's go."

**Well how was it? Larkz and Uto dead and Tak on the rebel's side. DATR rebel action on the rise and a fight getting ready to go underway. (God, I watched a little too much Terminator series I think for this kind of action going on.) Anyway remember to read, (well you just did) and review. Ciao for now,**

**Otherrealmwriter**

**Aka**

**Realm**

_P.S. If you like Invader Zim fanfics like mine, you will love Dr-Lovekill's works. I say his is better than mine is even. So after you read and reviewed this chapter, go to his page, read, and review his works! You will find him in my favorite authors. I honestly believe in giving good and underappreciated authors their due. Check him out! NOW!(Or suffer my wrath!) ~Realm_


	9. Saying Sorry for the Past

**I do not own Invader Zim, okay? Well by chapter 9 of this story you should know that by now, if not you have issues. Sorry for the late update but I am not about to rush myself on fanfics. Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!**

Professor Membrane looked around confused. The last thing he knew and could remember was being in Tak's study watching his daughter Gaz lock lips with the one Irken who make his life a living Hell only for fathering Dib. Now he was lying in a bed in some random farmhouse. He brought his hand to his head, feeling a goose egg lump right beside where his hair grew out into a M shape. "Where…where am I?" he asked looking around the room.

"At the Rendell family homestead." The farmer said sitting down beside him. "I am Frank Rendell and you must be Professor Membrane."

"You know you could be killed for even helping me out right?" Professor Membrane said. He didn't want to have this farmer suffer for helping him.

"Yep." Frank said with a snide but certain smile. "Knew the risks when I took you inside the house. But before that I had already killed two Irken generals before I found you, so in for a penny in for a pound is what I think."

"How can you be so nonchalant about something like that?" Professor Membrane said sitting up in shock. "You know as well as I do you will be killed for all the things you have done for me and to the Irkens recently."

"Well, when it is my time, it is my time." Frank smiled. "I could not die knowing I had not fought for my family's farm. The Rendell family's entire legacy is in this farm, this soil, this land. We date all the way back to the War of 1812 when my ancestor Abraham Rendell got this land for service in the war." Frank sighed opening a Poop Cola can.

"That's one of the old aluminum ones!" Professor Membrane said.

"Yep. The wife and I ran the old produce and gas station." Frank said. "We had to close up shop when those damn Irken bugs invaded. We took the inventory we had and use it for ourselves. Hell they killed one of my best horses for their goddamned glue suits." He then tossed a can of Poop Cola to Professor Membrane. "Have one for old time's sake. That was when soda pop was soda pop."

Professor Membrane took a deep swig of the Poop Cola and sighed. "Hard to believe that my daughter wouldn't stand up for me. Hell I half expected my son to turn me in. I mean I ridiculed his ideas until it proved that they were true. No, Dib would stand for me; it was Gaz who turned on me. She loved it when those Irkens beat me." He said putting his face in his hands, the memory of Gaz's laugh when the Irkens beat him fresh in his mind.

Frank looked at Professor Membrane and looked down. He could not imagine what it would be like for Professor Membrane. He was Undesirable Number Two only because Zim had a long standing feud with his son. Frank was only a small farmer and shop keeper in north eastern Pennsylvania who grew a lot of pumpkins to sell. While he knew what it was like to lose a son all too well. His oldest son was killed for trying to sneak some pumpkin pie to the prisoners nearby. Doing what was right was now the world's easiest way to get killed. Frank had lost his only son that way and his daughters were captured and used for the hybridization experiments. That was what made Frank want to help any rebel or wanted person who came through his farm and to kill any Irken who came through.

"I am really sorry man." Frank said "You can stay here as long as you need to and want to." He cocked his shotgun. "I will keep you safe."

"Thank you so much." Professor Membrane smiled. "I promise to be of some use."

"That is all I ask of you." Frank smiled placing his hand on Professor Membrane's.

_Page break to Zim's Palace_

Meanwhile Gaz and Zim were lying in their bed looking upon the red canopy with the black Irken Empire symbol on it. Gaz rolled over and stared into Zim's crimson red eyes. Recently she had secretly commissioned a scientist to see if a hybrid of human and Irken was possible and see if the DNA would mix. She wanted to have a child with Zim and use it to increase their political power on Earth. If Zim did not understand how important it could be, she at least did and was going to use it. Gaz wanted to give Zim an heir on the very likely chance that he would be killed; there would be someone to continue on his legacy. Her position would be secured in that way. Gaz also knew that Tak would have a hard time attacking a mother. Even if Dib was planning to attack and kill Zim, Gaz knew he could not hurt her or her child. Using this plan she then kissed Zim and whispered to him, "Do you want an heir to your Empire and conquests?"

"Are you suggesting we overthrow the Tallest?" Zim yelled jumping up in shock.

"Not exactly, not yet." Gaz said. "We have power here." Gaz said as she moved on top of Zim. "We need to show Earth we care or at least show them how much in love we are." She said as she bent down and kissed Zim deeply, wrapping her tongue around his.

Zim sat up and looked into Gaz's eyes. _ She is being rather amorous. My Gaz-flower is mine for the taking. _Zim thought. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her closer to him. Gaz had never seen this side of herself before but she was not going to say anything about it and Zim was not going to say anything about it either. He loved it and so did she. Any chance Zim had to dominate he was going to take it. "I love you my Gaz flower." Zim whispered into her ear embracing her.

_Page break to the woods_

Meanwhile Dib and Tak were following an old game trail to set up camp for the night. Tak had her disguise turned on from earlier to look like the average eighteen-year-old girl that was walking around in the woods. Sensing that another March rain storm was about to blow in, Tak pulled branches off of a pine tree nearby. Then she began to weave them into a small lean-to shelter. After that was set up, she pulled out a can of paste spray to help waterproof the shelter. "Dib get in here!" She yelled.

"Oh! Tak!" Dib said heading under the shelter half. "What is it?"

"Can't you feel it?" Tak asked. "There is another rain storm coming in! Miyuki, I have never seen a planet with this many storms!" She said sitting down.

"Yeah…" Dib said looking at Tak. Tak then pulled out something from her PAK, which her disguise made to seem like a normal human's backpack, a small red glowing object that looked like a soda can on a coaster. Sitting down to look at it, Dib noticed it gave off a lot of heat and the rain that blew in was being evaporated before it could cause a problem and dampen their camp. In fact even though the shelter had only one real wall to speak of, Dib thought it was warmer in there than it was outside, it felt much like a warm summer day.

"Dib, I am sorry." Tak sighed sitting back in the corner. "If I had known what was going to happen I never would have taken the job the Tallest gave me."

"How could you have known? Last I knew of you before the Invasion, you were floating hopelessly in space." Dib said "I listened for your escape pod's signal." He added when Tak flashed him a confused yet furious look.

Tak then put her hands to the heater and sighed. _ This guy cared so much about me to listen for my signal all these years. I didn't stand up for him against Zim. I am sure the Tallest wouldn't have even cared about Dib unless Zim pushed it so much. I mean I just took this position and forgot all about what Dib did for me. Yet somehow he still cared about me to take me with him. _ Tak thought as she placed her face in her hands and did something no powerful Irken would be caught dead doing, she started to cry.

"What's the matter Tak?" Dib asked.

"How can you still care about me after I headed up the manhunt for you" Tak yelled.

"I know you did." Dib said moving closer to you. "I also know a lot of Irken culture. You could not say no and be alive to tell me about this."

"How do you know so much of Irken culture?" Tak asked with an eyebrow raised.

"I umm…" Dib put his hand behind his back, "Your ship crashed in my yard and I ummm… fixed it up and used the computer to learn about Irk and their culture." He then saw an expression of annoyance on Tak's face. "But I did it so I could learn about Zim and his weaknesses. I just think I should have paid attention to Gaz more." Dib looked at his knees trying to change the subject. "If I did, even if she still hooked up with Zim, she may not have stood by Zim so much at my capture.

"I hate to tell you this but she was the one who gave us the tips to catch and find you." Tak sighed. "She helped build a complete profile of you and your father. I am sorry."

"I guess you were just doing your job…" Dib sighed. "I just wish I knew better ways to run from people trying to capture me."

Tak smiled. "You are with me. I know how Irkens work and how we can avoid them. Plus I can talk us out of anything at all. How else would the Tallest have given me a role on Earth at all?" She added with a wink.

"You watch my back and I will watch yours." Dib said.

"I don't deserve a guy like you." Tak sighed.

_Page break back to the Rendell Homestead_

Back at the Rendell homestead, Kathy Rendell, Frank's wife, walked into Professor Membrane's room with a bowl of soup and a sandwich. She walked over to him and shook him awake. "Professor…" Kathy said as she placed her hand on his shoulder and shook him again. "I brought you lunch."

"Uggh…." Professor Membrane said "I have a bad feeling about my children. Dib is on the run and Gaz is getting wrapped up in power. I had a dream where that damned Governor Zim and Gaz were stomping on a bunch of dolls."

"Weird…" Kathy said. "I couldn't tell you what it means for the life of me but I think you daughter forsook humanity and will do whatever Zim wants of her. If I can get a message out about this farm to the rebel underground that stops buy, I will have them tell Dib about this place."

"That would be good…" Professor Membrane said. "I should not have left Dib and Gaz alone so much!" he yelled as he placed his face in his hands.

Kathy sat down next to him and put her hands on Professor Membrane's shoulders. "That's the past Professor. If there is anything I have learned after this Invasion, is that all we are certain of is the present and we can only go from there. Besides, you cannot blame yourself for everything that happens badly. You had a duty to humanity and it kept you busy at all hours of the day. I know a lot about your work. I mean back when we had that gas station, the Super Toast and Lebanon Bologna sandwiches were our best sellers. What happened to your wife that she couldn't look after Dib and Gaz?"

"She died when Gaz was one year old. It was drive by shooting. She was a pediatrician doing work at a free clinic in a bad neighborhood." Professor Membrane said tears sparking up in his eyes.

"I am sorry for your loss. Sorry to bring up bad memories. I know it can't be easy on you." Kathy said.

"Can you give me some time alone?" He asked.

"Sure." Kathy said.

Professor Membrane looked in the mirror at the end of the room, knowing he had to fight back. He could not stand by and watch his son being attacked for a vendetta Zim had against him nor could he stand to see Gaz heading up the manhunt for him after he heard rumors of Tak's disappearances. Once Frank was in to talk to him again, he knew what he had to do. He had to have Frank teach him how the shotguns he had worked and to make shells that were better for taking out Irken than the double 00 buckshot that was used most often to take out Irken PAKs. Professor Membrane was tired of being the victim, he knew what need to be done and he had the brains to make the weapons to fight the Irkens. Professor Membrane could tell Frank was willing to fight and Kathy would help too. They wanted to avenge their son and free their daughters. He decided then and there that he would help any rebel like Frank and Kathy helped him and if Gaz were to cause a problem, she would be like an Irken to him. Then he sat down and cried knowing that it may come to a situation where he would have to fight Gaz. His only daughter.

**Well how was that? Good? Bad? Boring? Sorry for the late update. I hope you like it and remember to read, well you just did and review. By the way I got the name Rendell for the farmer's family from the former PA governor. Ciao for now**

**Otherrealmwriter**

**Aka**

**Realm. **


	10. Asking for help from former enemies

**I don't own Invader Zim okay? I don't have too much to say here, so yeah. Sorry for the not so instant update but I don't want to rush myself on this stuff. I mean I actually like this story so I will finish it someday. Anyway, enough with this A/N, on with the fic!**

Gaz looked up at the ceiling with a smile. Zim had fallen asleep while Gaz had gone to the bathroom. _Zim always falls asleep after sex…_ Gaz thought with a slight laugh. _I just hope what that scientist told me was true and what he did for me to have a child with Zim did turn out to work. I mean he did say the girls who were under the test did produce fetuses. It takes seven months, but the hybrid babies are developing well. Heck the scientists said the very first hybrids are due to be born any day now…_ Gaz thought as she looked over at Zim.

Gaz looked out the window after she finished in the bathroom. She looked over her domain with a smirk. Placing her hand on her abdomen knowing full well what would go on in her body soon. Many of the scientists warned her about the possible risks and dangers of child birth, especially with a hybrid baby. No one fully knew what would happen yet, nor did they know how the hybrid child would grow up. Gaz knew however, that with her and Zim's position in the Empire, they could get the scientists to tend to whatever needs the baby would have. There was no concern for her. Gaz then walked over to her wardrobe and looked at her dresses. Most were very skimpy and only covered what needed to be. "I hope human-Irken hybrid pregnancies don't give too much of a bump." Gaz said to herself as she placed her hand back on her lower abdomen. "I have gotten rather used to the dresses I wear as the Governeress of Earth" She then walked over to the bed and curled up next to Zim and closed her eyes and went to sleep.

_(Page break to the forest)_

"It's cold out…" Dib shuddered

"Take back your jacket. You look like you need it more than I do. You seem to be catching a fever. I can look after you till I can find us some help. There are numerous reports of rebels around here in this area." Tak said as she looked at their location on her GPS tracker and the location of suspected rebels and where they were known to have lived. "By the looks of it the infamous Rendell homestead is not too far away from here…" Tak observed

"If you _*cough* _knew where_*cough*_ those _*cough**cough**cough*_ those rebels were_*cough*_ why didn't you catch_*cough*_ them?" Dib asked his illness showing in his voice.

"Not to incite more rebels." Tak explained simply. "Most people won't join a rebellion if the rebels have little real things to complain about. But if it is known that the rebels are getting punished horribly and they had good reason to rebel in the first place, that would get more people to rebel with them. We Irkens are not all as dumb as Zim. We know how to keep the conquered natives in check."

"Yeah…" Dib moaned his voice hoarse and ragged.

"You sure are sick." Tak said as she turned on her disguise.

"Where are you going?" Dib asked.

"For help. You are very sick." Tak said.

Tak looked at the map of rebels near her and Dib. The Ridge and Corbett families were nearby and they were notorious rebels but the main one Tak wanted to find was the Rendell family. They were some of the main ones that Tak had to keep an eye on as the (well former) head of torture and punishment. She had to have her people keep tabs on them and keep their threat level at the levels they already were. Irk understood well that there would always be rebels, but what mattered was he containment of the amount of rebels there were and their level of disgruntledness. If you could keep the majority of your subjects happy, both Irken and conquered peoples, you would have little to no problem controlling your subjects. Tak knew this and she knew that punishment needed to be on a sliding scale to meet the crime. She also knew the public needed an enemy, which unfortunately had to be Dib. However, Tak was with Dib now and by being with him she was with the rebellion. Now she had to use all the skills she had to evade anyone who might come after her, which she knew they would. Looking again at her GPS, she found the best route to the Rendell homestead. She made sure her disguise was turned on and looked at camp where Dib was asleep, wheezing. _He's getting a bad respiratory infection._ Tak thought.

"Dib." Tak said nudging him.

"Tak?" He asked in a weakened tone. Tak could tell his condition was getting worse. She felt his forehead and could tell his fever was far from improving. Dib looked pale and felt clammy and this was what Tak took as the signal to get the help she knew that they would need.

"Keep this ray-gun nearby." Tak said placing a ray-gun pistol by his bedside. "I'm heading to the…" She looked at her map. "The Rendell homestead. It's about a mile and a half off. I'll get some help from them. It says in my records that they are opening help to any rebel who needs it.

"But_*cough*_ wouldn't they be suspicious _*cough**cough* _of you?" Dib asked.

"Pseudonym. Simple as that. Only a few here on Earth saw my disguise last time I used it and I updated it from about seven years ago. So if for some by Miyuki-forsaken reason someone does recognize my old disguise, they won't make the connection if I do not use my real name."

"Good." Dib said. "Now go get help." He said as he feel back asleep.

"I'll be back." Tak said kissing Dib on the forehead.

_(Page break to the Rendell Homestead)_

Meanwhile, Professor Membrane was looking at the scars and bruises left by the Irkens. Each one hurt a little more than the last. However, the one that hurt the most was a red mark the size of Gaz's hand that burned the most on his face. He knew full well that Tak's kick to the ribs and Larkz's smack with the butt of his laser rifle were with more force and physically hurt more and did more damage. The meaning of Gaz's strike burned into him. Reaching, into his lab coat, he pulled out an old locket and looked at it. It was of a family portrait taken soon after Gaz was born. No one ever knew it, but he kept it close to his heart. Dib was sitting on his lap and his late wife Penelope was there holding the newborn baby Gaz. _I was never a good husband or father. Penelope was killed soon after this was taken. Dib is out there alone and wanted, near getting killed daily. Gaz wants to kill me. Maybe if I spent less time at work…_ Professor Membrane thought as he wiped his goggles from the tears he was crying. It was the he heard a knock at the door of his room.

"Hey Prof, you mind me coming in?" Frank asked.

"No, come on in." Professor Membrane said as he quickly put on his goggles.

"You doing well?" Frank asked.

"Okay. Well as okay as I can be after my ordeal. I want to help you defend this place against Irkens. Tell me how to use your shotgun. And do you know how to make rounds? I know there are many different rounds for the shotgun." Professor Membrane said.

"So far I found the only thing to kill an Irken is 00 buckshot to the PAKs." Franks said.

"I know, but the Irkens main weaknesses are water and meat. Shotguns are very versatile with the rounds. I also know Irkens will not engage until their target is very close range. They like seeing their enemies suffer." Professor Membrane said, explaining what he knew. Dib had told him all that stuff about Irkens when he was studying Zim all those years ago; he never thought it would pay off until now.

"How did you learn all THAT?" Frank asked amazed. He could use this information to help.

"Well, the stuff about shotguns, I had a preacher for a father in Nevada, I think that says it all. The information about Irkens, my son Dib was spying on Governor Zim for about seven years before they Invaded, and he told me all about what he found about Zim. He thought I could help with my job as a scientist." Professor Membrane explained to Frank.

"Well, I'll show you my reloading bench Prof." Frank said. "I'll teach you how to reload shotgun shells and you can use your brains to come up with and discover any kind of special shotgun shell you may need."

"Good." Professor Membrane said as he watched Frank load some shotgun shells.

Tak was outside, near the barn of the Rendell family homestead, walking in such a manner as to not disturb the animals. She saw chickens, cows and a pig. Tak knew if one of the animals made any kind of noise at this time of night, Frank Rendell would be out to shoot any intruder that came by. "What's this?" She asked herself as she followed footprints that looked somewhat familiar to her. One set was wide and deep and the other was narrow and lightly left an imprint on the ground. _ These look familiar for some reason…_ Tak thought to herself as she followed the path of the footprints. She was hoping to find what it was or who it was that left those footprints in the first place. They ended at a bush so she pushed the branches aside. She quickly pulled out an Earth revolver that she kept for missions where she had to look like a normal human girl. Tak didn't know what was in that bush, so she had to have something to defend herself with. She pushed back the branches and gasped. "Uto! Larkz!" Tak whispered in shock, and then she recovered her composure. "So I didn't have to kill them. Just remember not to piss off that Frank Rendell, he will kill you. Oh well, Dib needs my help."

Following the path worn down from years of walking to the barn to feed the livestock Tak made her way up to the old farmhouse. As she walked up the steps to the porch, she put away her revolver to show a message of peace and gussied herself up to make it look as if she had been on the run for days on end. Quickly she worked up a back story so she could get the Rendells to help her and Dib. Tak looked at her disguise in a piece of glass and knocked on the door.

"Just a minute!" Kathy Rendell said as she cocked a gun and hid it behind her back before she opened the door to Tak. "Hello? Can I help you?"

"Yeah." Tak said. "I am Kat Mann. I am on the run since the Irkens killed my parents. I need someone to come with a wheelbarrow so I can get help for my boyfriend. He is very sick and cannot walk the mile and a half to this place for help. I heard through the rumor mill of the underground that the Rendells would help any rebel who needs it. I cannot begin to repay what that Irken scum did to my family and my boyfriend. If he wasn't on the run, he wouldn't have gotten sick." _Please believe me._ Tak prayed to herself.

"Okay." Kathy said. "Follow me to the barn and we will pick up your boyfriend."

_Thank Miyuki._ Tak thought as she followed Kathy to the barn and helped her get a wheelbarrow down from the wall. She then had Kathy follow her to where she and Dib had made camp.

"A mile and a half isn't much but isn't easy with a wheelbarrow it can slow you down." Kathy said.

"Dib! Kat is here!" Tak yelled so Dib would not attack her. "I got help."

"Huh?" Dib asked putting the ray-gun away and looking up. "You got help Ta-Kat?"

"Yeah. Kathy is here to put you in her wheelbarrow and take you to her house. She has aid there." Tak explained. Kathy and Tak then picked up Dib and put him in the wheelbarrow. They walked back to the homestead. Once they got to the steps of the porch, Kathy and Tak carried Dib up the steps and onto a couch in the living room.

"Frank! Prof! We have someone who needs help!" Kathy yelled to Frank and Professor Membrane.

"Yes dear?" Frank asked.

"Kat's boyfriend is very sick here. I think he is Dib Membrane." Kathy said.

"Son?" Professor Membrane asked in astonishment.

"Professor Membrane!" Tak yelled. _I hope he doesn't recognize me!_ Tak thought. _It's all over if he does. _

**Well how was that? Good? Bad? Cliffhanger? Let me know in a review. I don't know if you don't tell me. I will try to update sooner but I have other stories that need work and sometimes my writer's inspiration works for me. Anyway, remember to read, (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,**

**Otherrealmwriter**

**Aka**

**Realm.**


	11. Healing

**As you should know by now, I do not own Invader Zim okay? Never thought I would get as good as a reception as I did on this fic. So that means I put some extra work into this chapter to get it done sooner. Well, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!**

"Dib!" Professor Membrane yelled.

"He's burning up!" Kathy yelled as she placed her hand on his forehead.

"He was coughing a lot and had problems breathing while he was sleeping." Tak explained. "I think him hiding in the cold and wet of March made him take a flu or worse."

"Pneumonia?" Professor Membrane asked in shock.

Kathy looked over Dib. She placed her ear to his chest and listened to how his breath sounded in his lungs. Then she lifted his hand and checked his pulse. After double checking his temperature, she turned to Frank, Tak (who she knew as Kat) and Professor Membrane. "I have good news and bad about his condition."

"Give me the bad news first!" Professor Membrane said grabbing Kathy by the shoulders shaking her. He was not about to lose Dib. He was going to try and make up for the lack of parenting that he had done over the years.

"Calm down." Kathy said shoving Membrane off of her. "He has a very bad flu, true flu not stomach flu." Kathy explained.

"So what's the good news?" Tak asked plainly.

"You got him here just in time." Kathy said. "He needs rest and warmth and we have that here. Unless Irkens attack…" Kathy added with a groan. With this Tak gulped. They didn't know who she really was but she was worried. If she wasn't convincing enough, she knew well what would happen to her. At best she would be shot and left in the bushes like Uto and Larkz were, but she knew Frank knew about her real job before she left her post and as a major figurehead for the rebellion, he might make a horrible example out of her and thus cause the topple the Irken Empire. Or that action may lead to the eradication of all humans (Except for Gaz, Tak knew that her being with him meant that there was no way that would ever happen); as Tak knew Irk would not take that lying down. Tak knew that she had to suppress all of her old loyalty she had imagined in her for the Irkens and her old position. _ What did Irk ever do for me? Sure that position of head of torture and punishment saved me from floating in space forever. I mean it was nice but rather insulting. I could never really do anything to Zim, even though I had a perfect chance to get at him through Gaz, but I didn't do it._ Tak thought. _That is all the past now. Dib is your main priority now. You have to act the part. This is what the training came to. You convinced the Tallest to give you that position anyway when they wanted to banish you back to Dirt._

Tak looked up and asked, "I guess that is good. I mean he won't like…die?"

"Only if he cannot get the rest he needs and I doubt that." Kathy said. "But coming here in this state, he needs lots of rest and fluids. I'll send him some soup and small meals daily. He needs to eat so his body will have enough caloric intake to fight the virus."

"How do you know all this?" Tak asked. _I'm playing an 18-year-old girl and they are clueless too…_ Tak reassured herself.

"Let's just say that after twenty years of being a mom and a veterinarian, these things teach you better than any website ever could tell you. Now Frank, Prof. Membrane take Dib to the spare bedroom. He looks to be about Tommy's size, so give him a change of Tommy's old clothes. It cannot be any good for him to be wearing those wet dirty clothes." Kathy said.

"Let…me…keep…the…coat…" Dib gasped as Frank and Professor Membrane got on either side of Dib and supported him while he made his way to the bedroom.

"Fine. You can get it back AFTER I WASH IT." Kathy insisted. "It smells like an old barn and mildew. That's no good for you."

"Fine." Dib said.

Tak looked outside and saw a clothes line, and she could tell they dried most of their clothes outside. This was no good because she knew Irkens watched this place a lot and a sign of Dib would mean that almost all the forces would attack this place. They had wanted to attack the Rendells for a long time, and this would be the excuse they would use. Tak knew she had to say something. "Don't dry it outside!" Tak yelled.

"Why?" Frank asked turning to Tak looking at her rather suspiciously.

"Dib is well known for his trench coat. If you dry it outside, Irkens might see it." Tak explained. "That is how they found my parents." She added, building onto her back story to get the Rendells to trust her. "My dad always wore this one ugly red shirt and the entire town knew him for it. So, in turn, all the Irkens knew."

"True. And it has been raining a lot so the coat wouldn't dry…" Frank said. "Thanks for the tip Kat!"

"Yes, anything I can do to help." Tak smiled.

"Look…after…me…_*cough*_Ta-Kat!" Dib said.

"I will." Tak waved.

"I'll let you see him once I get him changed." Professor Membrane said. "I mean I may have not been a great parent but I want to make it up to him."

"Sure, go ahead." Tak said as she sat down in an armchair. It was hard work pretending to be Kat Mann so convincing so no one would suspect her. It had to be hard on Dib as well to remember to follow Tak's lead in his condition. He wanted to say 'Tak' instead of 'Kat' and this worried her. She wanted to scream but she couldn't in good conscious. Tak had to remember that she didn't tell him her pseudonym before Kathy helped him out of the woods. It was the danger zone for her now. She had to slip in information to help the Rendells and Professor Membrane. Tak knew her old position was one that she had loads of information to help that she could supply them with, but that would get suspicious. She knew she could not spill everything she knew. After all, she was Kat Mann to them. Kat Mann was a young woman whose parents were killed and now she was on the run. No way would someone like that know all of Irk's intimate details, their troop movements, all the weaknesses and things like that. All a person like Kat would know is what she would have seen on the run. Tak knew she could only decimate so much. She was used to keeping Irk's secrets for military reasons but this made her feel like a marked woman in the lion's den.

"Kat, Dib's going to be fine, so you can stop worrying so much about him." Kathy said placing her hand on Tak's knee. "He just needs rest fluids and warmth and we have that here. You got him here in time to help."

"Yeah, I'm just scared." Tak sighed.

"Well, you are brave standing up to Irk like that." Kathy said. "Want a soda?"

'I'm braver than you would ever know lady.' Tak whispered then said aloud, "Sure" as Kathy got a soda.

Meanwhile Professor Membrane was helping Dib out of his wet clothes and into Tommy Rendell's old pajamas. Dib was insistent on doing as much as he could by himself. He pulled off his T-shirt and trench coat and bent down to try and pull his boots off. However, Professor Membrane bent down and helped Dib pull off the left boot he was struggling with. He bent down and unbuckled his boots and pulled them off of Dib's feet. Dib then pulled off his sock and looked at his feet. "Uggghhhh… that explains a lot about how my feet were feeling..." Dib said.

"Trench foot." Professor Membrane said. "You shouldn't wear your shoes for a while unless needed."

"I know. But when you are running in the woods from Irkens, you kind of need shoes on. Especially in March." Dib sassed as he put on the pajamas. He felt a coughing fit come on and he fell back into the bed and coughed.

"You okay son?" Professor Membrane asked.

"As well as I can be in a situation like this." Dib moaned, wiping the sweat from his brow. "It's like what that lady said; I have a bad case of the flu. Do you think I am going to be okay?"

"No." Professor Membrane said. "You just get well soon son."

"What's with you Dad?" Dib asked. "You were never like this before."

"Let's just say that after seeing your sister enjoy my torture and being hunted like I was, things change and you realize what is really important." Professor Membrane said.

Dib looked at his father and then looked down. He knew from the look on his face what he was talking about. It was the tearing apart of the last of his family that was getting at him and making him actually want to pay attention to him. Dib had always thought Gaz was his favorite child and that was why he ignored Dib like he did, but now he could see different. Dib could see that his father cared about him and really wanted to help him out in this rough time. They were both fugitives from the rule of law of the entire planet. However, Dib knew it was his fault his father was wanted too. He looked again at Professor Membrane and sighed. They both had the thought in their heads but they didn't want to say what was bothering them the most: Gaz's attachment to Zim and betrayal to them.

"Ummm… you see Gaz lately?" Dib asked.

"Yeah. And she doesn't care." Professor Membrane said with a note of rage.

"I'm sorry." Dib said. "Maybe if I was more interested in her more than how I was she may not have taken up with Zim. I think she only hooked up with him to spite me."

"Nah, I don't think she did it to spite you per say." Professor Membrane said. "She really cares about Zim, that I can tell. However, I do think we should have paid more attention to her."

"Dad, you mind bringing Kat in here?" Dib said asking for Tak. "I want to talk to her in private if you don't mind."

"Sure. But I have to let you know something about why I am here. I am working on something that will eliminate Irkens with little to no effort. I know you studied Zim for a while before his people took over. Well, I know Frank took a shot of 00 buckshot to two Irkens that were carrying me to the prison. He shot them right in the Paks and then that killed them. I do know that they have to wear those paste suits in the rain, and if I could work that into something in a shotgun shell, well…." Professor Membrane got up and headed to the living room "Kat! Dib wants to see you."

"Yes sir!" Tak said as she headed into the room with Dib.

"I'll leave you two be." Professor Membrane said "And be safe!"

"DAD!" Dib yelled weakly in embarrassment as he threw a pillow at the door.

"Okay, what was that about?" Tak asked.

"Nothing, just my dad being embarrassing…" Dib said.

Tak giggled and looked down at Dib. If there was something that was rare anymore, it was joking and even though Dib was embarrassed, she knew that if it kept him in good spirits, it was good for him. She looked over Dib and down at his feet. "Ugggh! What happened there?" She asked in shock.

"Trench foot. I wore wet socks and boots for too long." Dib said.

"I got this." Tak said as she dug through her PAK and pulled out a tool that looked like a shoe buffer. "Here we go."

She turned it on and it started to glow in a purple color. Dib bit his lip, anticipating a painful shock, but all Tak had to do was run it over his feet, and suddenly his feet went from pruney and painful to plump and normal. Dib bent down and felt them. They felt like they were before he had to go on the run. "Thanks Tak." Dib said hugging her.

"So what is your dad up to?" Tak asked.

"Creating shotgun shells more effective than 00 buckshot against Irkens." Dib said.

"If he could keep water liquid even in the heat of the blast that would be effective…" Tak wondered aloud.

"You are going to help him? But that's your own people." Dib said.

"Doesn't matter the race, it is the treatment that is what matters. I doubt that you would hold back against Gaz if she attacked you." Tak said.

"I always took it. But this… what she is doing with Zim changes everything." Dib said. "I don't know what I would do honestly. She is with Zim and siding with Irk, but she is my sister."

"But she is your enemy." Tak said.

"I know you don't fully understand it, but I care about Gaz. I have looked after her most all of my life…" Dib said.

"I'll warn you now though, that if Gaz is coming at you with intent to kill and attack, I will not hold back. I have a score to settle with her." Tak said. With that a knock was heard at the door. "Who is it?" Tak asked.

"Kathy, Kat." Kathy said. "I need Dib's old clothes to wash. In exchange, I'll give him this soup." She said.

Tak gathered up Dib's wet clothes, holding back the pain she felt from the dampness and handed them to her. Kathy then gave Tak the soup to give Dib. Tak carried it to Dib and felt Kathy's hand on her shoulder. "We should give him some privacy."

"Yeah." Tak said. "I need to talk with his father for a little bit." She waved and blew Dib a kiss mouthing, 'I love you.'

**So how was that? Good? Bad? Boring? Lacking in action? Let me know in a review. Once again, thanks for the good response to this chapter. So remember to read, (well you just did) and review. Ciao for now,**

**Otherrealmwriter**

**Aka**

**Realm. **


	12. Improvise

**By this chapter if you don't know that I don't own Invader Zim, you need to get yourself checked out. I would like to thank all of those who reviewed and read all these years giving me the courage to keep going through the writer's block. Well I hope you like this chapter. Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!**

Tak stood outside the bedroom door, waiting for Dib to fall asleep. Dib was on the edge of pneumonia and Tak was not about to leave him until she knew that he was asleep. She leaned back along the door and sighed. Professor Membrane was going to need her help and she had to deliver her skills for his use. He needed to break the Irken's weakness and Tak, as an Irken in disguise herself, knew that all too well. _Luckily I am so good at fooling humans... I mean Dib bought my disguise when I first came to Earth._ Tak thought as she got up and dusted herself off and headed to the basement where Professor Membrane was working. "Time to help the man I had tortured only not so long ago." Tak said under her breath. "Have to make sure my voice is disguised…"

"Where are you going to Kat?" Frank asked hearing her footsteps.

"To talk to Professor Membrane." Tak said in her Kat voice. Thinking quickly, she added to her Kat backstory. "I found a few weaknesses of the Irkens that may help him."

"Yeah, what is that?" Frank asked as he put some oil on the shotgun he always carried with him.

"I found it out when I was on the run before I ran into Dib. I was running and this one Irken captured me and was holding me hostage. I was fighting but he was strong. I got free but not for long. I was running again and spilled my canteen on one of them when I was captured again." Tak said trying to make Kat seem like she knew what it was really like for the rebels out there.

"Ah, I see. So what did it do?" Frank asked. He had heard rumors of water hurting Irkens but he wasn't completely sure.

"It burned him bad." Tak said.

"What about those supposed paste suits they have?" Frank asked, intrigued even more.

"Oh this was on a sunny day. This guy must have been a real idiot anyway." Tak said.

"If only more were like that…" Frank mumbled.

"Anyway, this guy was alone so I was able to just run off. But I remembered what it did to him well. Then I saw those two dead Irkens you shot. They had to be high ranking officers. I could tell because the idiot I injured was actually shorter than me." Tak said.

Frank nodded. "I see. Professor Membrane should learn about this. He is pretty smart. Now he is working on shells for shotguns designed for use against Irkens. You see Kat, most rebels have just those. Many of them had one for home defense before the Invasion. However, most of the Irkens were too lazy to take the guns from us rural people."

"This I know…" Tak said. _I told the Tallest that! But would they listen to me? Nooooooooooo. Oh well, that will be their downfall._

"Well, anyway, tell Professor Membrane what you told me." Frank said. "He's in the basement." Then Frank pointed down the hall to a flight of cement steps.

"Good." Tak said. She walked by the room Dib was in and she peeked in the door. He was still asleep, but he was curled up in the blankets with a smile on his face. That was a rare sight indeed. _That probably has not been there for a long time…_ Tak thought. Then a guilty pang befell upon her. _I removed that smile from his face…_ Looking at her feet, she strengthened her resolve. _I have got to help his dad defeat the Empire. I have to help him beat my people…_ Tak sighed as she looked at the ceiling. She knew she had enough of the Irken Empire and all it did, all its politics and how it used her. Recalling her days before the Invader test she growled. She had talent, potential and was named one of the best of her class. Yet she was not given a retest just because she was in the wrong place at the wrong time. It would not be fair to the others, they said. So to be fair, she had to wait with all the flunk-outs. Yet somehow, Zim was made an Invader when he destroyed half the testing planet. For these reasons alone, she was willing to rebel. She should have rebelled a long time ago. Then Dib came into the picture and that complicated things even more. No matter what, she admired Dib and deep down, she did care for him. Because of that she drank so much while she was Head of Torture. She finished walking down the steps and knocked on the door of the basement.

"Who is it?" Professor Membrane asked.

"Kat." Tak said. "I have some valuable information for you." She explained.

Professor Membrane got up from his workbench and opened the door. "Yes, come on in Kat. You remind me of Dib and Ga-" He paused. Mentioning Gaz pained him too much. Knowing she hated him and sold him out was like an icicle to the heart. "Well, Dib's mother anyway."

"Well thanks I guess…" Tak said. "But I have to tell you about what I know. Frank says you are working on a special anti-Irken shotgun shell."

"Yes I am." Professor Membrane said as he sat down and motioned for Tak to sit by him. He opened a box of shotgun shells, pulled one out prying it open and spilling out the continents into a small dish in front of him. Then he took a pair of tweezers and examined the pellets that came from the shell. "I have heard Irkens have a water weakness. Frank also told me that if he shot at one from far away, even if the pellet did penetrate the body, it would do nothing and the Irken would heal."

"Paste suits prevent water from hurting them and they do have force fields." Tak explained. She also knew that as an Irken herself as long as a penetrating object didn't hit the PAK or damage the Squedleyspooch too much that an Irken could recover from almost any injury. However she could not tell anyone that. She was known as Kat Mann. Kat would not know that. At best she could pretend she was a science genius and help Professor Membrane to build the shells. Tak knew that her information on Irken physiology would be immensely helpful to the rebellion but it would not suit her disguise and she needed to keep up appearances.

"It's been hard working on this without all my lab tools. As I am sure you know, I was world renowned before the Invasion." Professor Membrane said.

"And they wanted you to help them?" Tak asked.

"But I wouldn't. And it meant choosing between my children too. Gaz wanted me to help Zim, but I remembered that my duty was to help improve MANKIND, so I refused. I refused right to Gaz's face too. I think it was that when she made me Undesirable Number 2 then as well…"Professor Membrane said, hiding his tears.

"I'm sorry." Tak said. She could see from what he was saying that Professor Membrane was having as much trouble with helping the rebellion as she was. He had even more of a right than she was to help the rebels. Being beaten, tortured and made wanted because you fathered the most wanted man who is only most wanted because the governor of the planet had a vendetta against him. However, he had to choose between his kids. Gaz was his only daughter and a reminder of the beloved wife he lost so long ago. Having to attack Gaz would be like attacking a memory of his dead wife.

"I have found from my research," Professor Membrane said motioning to a bunch of magazines about shotguns and books that were about guns, "that the shot is immensely hot. I would need to find a way to keep the shells cool so that the projectile is still liquid water."

"You need a capsule that can withstand the heat." Tak said.

"Yes. I need to find a material that would withstand that that I can easily get." Professor Membrane said. "Like I said, I do not have my lab equipment that would make this stuff so easy to do. I mean I did harness perpetual energy. Can't do that now."

"Come on, we can do something!" Tak said.

"If only I had my equipment." Professor Membrane said as he took each shell from the box and tossed them at the wall.

Tak went over and picked up each of the shells. It was amazing that a man with Professor Membrane's reputation would have such a break when he does not have the fancy tools he did before the Invasion. It seemed that the tools made this man more than the man made the tools. It reminded her of so many Irken scientists when she saw one of their tools break. She walked over to Professor Membrane, took the shotgun shell box from his hands and smacked him. "And here I thought you were brilliant. No scientist should look at things from all the angles, not just one. And so should the good tactician."

"What do you mean Kat?" Professor Membrane said as he rubbed where Tak smacked him.

"The shotgun would be only part of the plan. You have to think more of what is available and what you know the weaknesses of Irkens are!" Tak yelled. "Think!" She then grabbed the nearest item, an old water gun, and smacked him again.

"Wait a minute Kat; you may have given me a good idea." Professor Membrane said as he looked at the old water gun in Tak's hands. He grabbed it from her and looked upon it. Irkens were weak against water, the rebellion knew that. Why they could overlook the fact that a simple toy was beyond him. Maybe it was too small of a thing for someone to really think about. However, he looked at it and smiled. Professor Membrane smiled and then hugged Tak. "Kat you gave me a brilliant idea."

"You said that already." Tak said.

"Yeah well, you know, I am just so excited. Frank can keep his guns. This is brilliant. Ninjas did this in Japan and we can do this too! I can create a solvent for the Irken paste suits better than I can a shotgun shell that can defy the laws of physics. Well with what I got here anyway. I think we can do this." Professor Membrane said.

Tak smiled. This was her chance. She now saw where Dib got his brilliance and she could help. "We will need to get ahold of a paste suit" She said. "Irkens may have a special formula not like Earth glue."

"We'll tell Frank about this." Professor Membrane said. "He and maybe you can do that well."

"Wait, the dead Irkens he was in the pasture!" Tak yelled. They would have their utility belts and that is where the paste suits came from. "Be right back!" Running past Frank and Kathy, she headed into the pasture and took the belts off Uto and Larkz's bodies. _So you two will be useful to me after all. Funny, I will never get away from you guys being my tools and pawns._ Tak thought with a smirk on her face. She put the belts over her shoulder and walked back down the path she came up on. Then a rustle was heard in the bushes. "Who's there?" She asked.

"Get her!" A voice from the bushes said knocking Tak to the ground.

**Well how was that? Good? Bad? Suspenseful? Makes you want to read more? Let me know in a review. Sorry it isn't as long as some of the other chapters but this was a short one. Anyway remember to read (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now**

**Otherrealmwriter**

**Aka**

**Realm. **


	13. Enemy of my Enemy

**As you should know by chapter 13 of this fic, I do not own Invader Zim. If you don't then I weep for the state of education because last time I checked I was not Jhonen. I am so pleased with the response I got with the last chapter; I got right to work on this one. So anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!**

_Fuck!_ Tak thought as she was dragged along the ground. _Why did I think it was okay to drop my guard at the Rendell homestead?!_ "Get off me!" Tak yelled as she was being tied up.

"Shut up you freaking human!" a familiar voice said smacking her on the back of the head.

"I'm not a-" But she cut herself off. She didn't know what this Irken wanted. She was certain it was an Irken because of his mannerisms. No human was as arrogant as even the meekest of Irkens.

"Oh yeah, try that old tired excuse." The voice said. "How many humans have we captured who tried to say they were Irkens in disguise? Ever wonder why we have never captured the Rendells even though we know they are lead rebels? It's because we use them as bait!"

"Bait?" Tak asked, one of her earlier ideas to catch Dib haunting her now.

Back when she was Head of Torture and Punishment, she often had people who lead rebels were left alone until they captured Dib or a set number of rebels going to these leaders for sanctuary or guidance to help those disorganized people to get organized. Tak knew that if they took out the leaders right away, someone else would come take their place. There was a certain level of organization among them, not a very high level of it, but there was some. Tak explained to the Irken leaders that there was a basic system among the rebels and that the leaders needed the disorganized and minor rebels to help them have the power and might they do have. You could not just cut the head off the snake. From everything Tak had seen she knew the head would just grow right back. She was now on the receiving end of one of her plans to help capture Dib. _I guess I am good at one thing I guess… but it is too late to do much about it now._ She thought as she was pushed on the ground.

"Yeah, you are nothing but bait. We're just waiting for Dib or that Membrane guy to show up here though. They were last reported to be seen at the Pennsylvania and New York State border near Scranton. And you are a pretty little thing…." The Irken said.

"Alright, who told you to look here?" Tak said.

"Lady Gaz. She is determined to capture her father and brother before the baby is born." He said.

"Baby?" Tak asked.

"Wait…" The Irken guard said. "Why am I telling you, a rebel all of this?" The guard said. He then lifted up Tak, slung her over his shoulder and then threw her in a hovering cart. Tak fell on her back and then jumped back up.

"You will never keep me in here!" She yelled as she tried to jump over the sides of the cart. "Yahhhhhh!" She screamed as she fell back into the base of the cart.

"You will find that I think we will keep you in there. Professor Membrane may have gotten away when Uto and Larkz were killed because we had no way to keep the prisoners in there for good. So we made it that once you are in, you are in for good." The guard said.

Since Tak went on the run, the Irken ruling class on Earth had been in chaos. They did not know what happened to her and it was worrying them. They thought that the rebels had kidnapped her. There were rumors some even believed that Zim had her killed. Not that it was proven that she didn't. Their feud was well known but Zim knew that it would do him little good to kill her. It was just too risky for his position. While the Tallest didn't think that Zim had Tak killed, they did not rule out kidnap. Tak knew that at that moment in time the guard didn't seem to know who she really was and Tak intended to keep it that way. However, no matter what she did, it wouldn't help the situation much. She had to keep playing the role of Kat until she had a chance to escape.

"Yeah I do believe I got her." The guard said. He went over to Tak and moved the hair around. Under the hair of the disguise she was wearing, there was a mark of her symbol to let people know that she was an Irken if they were to find her. "Yeah, I see the birthmark of her symbol. Looks a lot like the one you told me about she used years ago. She's in disguise." The guard said into a radio.

_Whoever this is knows too much…_ Tak thought. "Zim?" Tak yelled sitting up.

"Close, but not quite." The guard said. "Know who was assigned to Blorch, home of the slaughtering rat people?"

"Skoodge?" Tak asked. "But…but you were shot out in the Final Cannon Sweep of Blorch!" Tak yelled.

"That is true, but I escaped and came to Zim. This was just before the Armada came of course. I got to know Gaz well too. She took pity on me and allowed me houseroom. Only thing was they had me be their servant." Skoodge explained. "And Gaz wants me to get you out of the way. Once you are gone, she'll take your job."

"Why did you tell me all that? You are trying to kill me!" Tak asked.

"I just thought you should know that and I get lonely often when I am working jobs like this. I was just hoping to hold up some decent conversation with you." Skoodge said.

"Well keep dreaming." Tak sassed as he took the cart along.

Meanwhile, Professor Membrane was sitting in the basement waiting for Tak to come back looking at the old Super Soaker. This was the item that Tak had smacked him with and got him thinking of a more practical weapon against the Irkens. If kids could make poor flamethrowers with these things, he could use it with much better effectiveness. He looked at the clock on the wall. It had been 45 minutes since Tak had left to get the utility belts of the Irken corpses in the pasture. _It shouldn't take this long…_ he thought as he headed up from the basement to the living room.

"Frank, have you seen Kat lately?" Professor Membrane asked.

"Not since she left to get something off those damned Irken bug corpses for you to work with." Frank said as he looked down the barrel of his shotgun. "Why?"

"I'm worried." Professor Membrane said. "It doesn't take this long to get the utility belt off a dead Irken. Knowing how she looked after his son, how she gave him inspiration to come to the idea to use squirt guns on the Irkens, he wanted to look after her. He didn't know that it was the same Irken who was beating and torturing him. Professor Membrane wanted to find and possibly save her if she was in trouble if something happened. It was the least he could to to repay her for all the services he did to her. He got p, walked into the kitchen and looked out the little window overlooking the barn. He saw a few sets of footprints that he could not recognize. There was a glow around the barn that was causing him to be suspicious. It was unnatural and it was scaring him. "Come look at this!" He yelled to Frank.

"What?" Frank said heading over to the window where Professor Membrane was standing.

"You have a purple light up there in your barn?" Professor Membrane asked.

"Nope." Frank said looking at the light with a look of confusion.

"Well, there is a light there that is not supposed to be there." Professor Membrane said. "It looks like the light at the bottom of the cart I was in when you found me here."

"Then that means some of those damned Irkens are on my property." Frank said as he cocked his shotgun. "Kathy, get the other pump shotgun for Professor Membrane out of the cabinet." He then turned to Professor Membrane and asked, "You know how to work this thing?"

"A pump shotgun?" Professor Membrane asked. "I know how to work one of those things." Kathy came over and handed him one.

"Please be safe with it." She said.

"I will. It won't be safe for that Irken up there but I won't hurt myself with it." Professor Membrane reassured Kathy.

"Good." Kathy said. "Give them hell. Take this." She pulled out a Smith and Wesson Governor Revolver and placed it in Professor Membrane's hands. "I have the cylinder in that has 410 shot gun shells in there. I doubt you will need it, but those Irkens can put up a fight and I want you to be safe."

"Thanks." Professor Membrane said as he put the revolver in a pocket in his lab coat.

"Come on Prof." Frank said running the guard for Professor Membrane as they headed up towards the barn. Frank took care not to step on any plants or rocks to cause a commotion as they walked up the path. He motioned to Professor Membrane to follow his example. He was nervous as to what that Irken was doing up there at the barn. He assumed that Tak was going to be up there and that the unknown Irken was there hurting her. It only made sense to him that this was where Tak was and that she was being hurt up there. They got to the edge of the barn doors and split up. Professor Membrane stood on the left and Frank stood on the right. Holding the shotgun close to him, Professor Membrane sighed and knew that this was going to be a tough fight and he had to get Tak free. _Kat is a prisoner because I was not brave enough to get the utility belt myself. She had to get the idea to penetrate the glue shields with a super soaker and I was so technoshavonist that I could not think like she did. I moaned more about the lack of tools I had at my old labs than actually put in the work she did. She kept Dib alive while he was on the run and suffering with pneumonia. I have to save her. She may have stumbled across something now that can really help me. _ Professor Membrane thought as Frank motioned to head into the barn.

"Eat lead you freaking bug!" Frank yelled as he started to fire away at the cart where Tak and Skoodge were sitting.

_You idiot!_ Tak thought. Skoodge pulled out a ray gun, froze the pellets midflight and watched them fall to the ground. "If I hadn't done that, you may have hurt my hostage Tak."

"You mean Kat?" Professor Membrane asked.

"She may have told you that but I assure you this is Tak." Skoodge said. "And Gaz wants to finish her off herself. She never would have forgiven me if I brought Tak back less than alive."

Frank looked at the cart with Tak in it enraged. He lifted his shotgun and aimed it square at her PAK. Tak looked on and she could hardly blame him for wanting it so badly. There were times she wanted to do that to herself but knew that she couldn't. The Irken's PAK always prevented an Irken from committing suicide. She half expected Professor Membrane to be holding a gun to her like Frank was, but he wasn't. She could see that the barrel of the shotgun Professor Membrane was hold was not pointed at her, but at Skoodge. Tak was confused; Professor Membrane had more of a reason to shoot her than Frank did. She had beaten him up and tortured him for information about Dib. Tak closed her eyes, expecting to feel a bunch of shotgun pellets hitting her PAK and Squeedelyspooch, when one of the men's guns went off. Not feeling any pellets hitting her at the speed of sound, she looked beside her and saw that Skoodge was on the ground, suffering in the final troughs of death.

"Just get it over with!" Tak said looking at Professor Membrane.

"Why would I kill you?" Professor Membrane said.

"I lied to you about who I was?" Tak suggested.

"She's a filthy Irken who tortured you?" Frank said.

"Those are both perfectly reasonable and logical reasons why I should be wanting to kill her, but I have learned some things." Professor Membrane said as Tak and Frank looked upon him with utter bewilderment. "I expected Tak to act like she did to me before and she has actually helped me and more important, she looked after Dib. I didn't expect Gaz to act like she did. Point being is that you never know who you can trust anymore. Despite what Tak was doing on her orders, she made the choice to help Dib and rebel against the leaders of her people. You cannot judge a person by their race, even if they are part of an occupying force. Besides, she knows better than anyone the chemical makeup of those goddamned paste suits those damned Irkens wear." Professor Membrane said.

"Sure." Frank said begrudgingly. "I don't trust her."

"Enemy of the enemy?" Tak asked turning off her disguise. "I am not asking you to like me. I am just asking you to let me help you. Dib made me see how the Empire was really treating me and convinced me to head out even though it was not going with my orders. I just want to make the order restored on the planet and give back what I took from Dib."

Frank lowered his gun. "I will be watching you closely."

"I expect nothing less." Tak said as she sat up. "Can you let me out of here? It's set to my bio-signature and unless someone hits that red button I am stuck."

"Back at the house." Frank said as he pushed the cart back from the barn.

"Fine." Tak sighed.

**Well how was that? Good? Bad? Unexpected? A strain on the alliance of Tak and Frank? Let me know in a review. I am pleased with the response I am getting with this fic and I want to thank all of my readers and really thank my reviewers. I have a few other stories I am working on and I know if you like this one, you will like them. Anyway, remember to read, (well you just did) and to review. Ciao for now,**

**Otherrealmwriter**

**Aka**

**Realm **

**PS: Check out my other works. I would love if you could review them too if you so choose to read them. **


	14. Straining stress

**If you don't know that I don't own Invader Zim by now, you have problems. Sorry for the late update on this one. So yeah, I got dedication after seeing the fandom recently and got back to work on this chapter. So enough of this A/N, on with the fic! **

Professor Membrane pulled the cart back to the farmhouse with Frank pointing his shotgun at Tak's back. _I know why he is pointing that gun at me, but he has to know that the shield on this cart will stop any bullet._ Tak thought to herself. This was going to make things really difficult between Tak and Frank. Frank had admired Kat, but he had despised Tak and even said he wanted to kill her himself when she was in her Kat disguise. _Miyuki help me…I need a miracle to convince this man that I am on his side. _Tak prayed to herself as she looked up at the sky. Miyuki was the greatest Tallest and the deity that all Irkens pretty much worshipped. _She wouldn't have even done anything to put me in this situation where I am now…_ Professor Membrane looked at the expression Tak had on her face in the cart. He could, in that moment see through her tough previous role and see her true colors and her true nature. Usually that was a bad thing, but he was devastated that Gaz had turned against him. She reminded him so much of her mother that in a way it was like both Gaz and his late wife were beating him and renouncing the family bond they had. If Dib had been the one to turn him in or sell him out, he would have understood a little bit. Gaz was just too much for him to take. The lesson he took away from this was that blood did not make a family. Family found it easier to stab you in the front than it was for an enemy to stab you in the back. They walked up the steps to the porch of the farmhouse where Frank turned off the shield and dumped Tak out of the cart, pointing his beloved shotgun at her.

Professor Membrane took his shotgun and held it to his shoulder. "Don't you even think about killing her!" Professor Membrane said looking at Frank. "She took care of Dib when she could have left him to die! If she was really still loyal to the Irkens she'd have just have killed him. The escape from her old past would have all just been an act. You do know where her loyalties lie if she hadn't had us all killed already. Think about it Frank."

"Fine," Frank said looking morose holding his shotgun at his side. "Only thing is, if she tries something, I reserve the right to shoot."

"Fine." Tak said holding her hand out. "I do believe you humans shake hands when you come to an agreement, right?" Frank reluctantly took Tak's hand and shook it. "Besides I am now positive that I am going to being doing my own thing until the day I die. I mean when this is over I am going to just cruise around the universe." _Which my death isn't for a long time at least if I am unlucky enough to have a natural death_ Tak thought as she let go of Frank's hand.

"I still don't like this agreement…" Frank scowled looking at Tak.

"No one said you had to like it Frankie…" Tak sassed as Frank smacked her. "OW! What was that for?"

"Agreement, truce or whatever you want to call this crap, no one calls me Frankie. I hate that name. Kathy can't even call me that." Frank said opening the door to the house, holding it for Professor Membrane but letting go as Tak walked in. _I get the hint…_ Tak thought as she walked in.

Meanwhile Gaz was looking out the front window of Zim's Governor's Mansion to see when Skoodge would be getting back from the assignment she had sent him on. She knew from the TRAK on Tak's PAK that she was near the Pennsylvania and New York state borders That was where Professor Membrane and Dib were last seen and based on her previous relationship with Dib, Gaz suspected that if Tak was to go rouge she might offer to help him or just follow him. Dib had a bizarre power over Tak's behavior and Gaz knew that this would be Tak's weakness. She knew Tak to a strong leader and all the drinks she had when the search for Dib was going afoul told Gaz that she was suppressing something for Dib that was never seen by the Irken leadership. Tak had dedicated nearly 50 human years to finding Zim and Tak did not break when finding Zim, so if she had really cared about Dib, having to find him and torture him would have taken all she had to keep the façade to the Tallest that she was doing it. Last reports that Gaz had received from Skoodge was that he had seen a girl that looked a lot like Tak's old disguise did, but just a little bit older, more like the age of 18 as to 12. He had shut off communication with Gaz before he went in to capture this girl. However, he was to reestablish contact with her when the job was successful. Gaz needed to know when Skoodge was coming back so she could reprogram the shields to let him and the captive in. The lawn was littered with dead and wounded rebels who already dared to cross the lawn and try to attack.

These rebels were of no concern to Gaz because the New York City rebels were a loose and disorganized group. Because New York City was the Earth capitol of the Irken Empire, there was a strong hold on the city that no mere human could ever hope to break. The Irkens saturated the airwaves in New York with propaganda that made humans turn on one another for various reasons. They had managed to create a controlled civil war within the districts of New York. With the humans in New York warring in the old subway tunnels, the Tallest could use Zim and Gaz to run the rest of the planet and keep an eye on each of the continents. Many of the captured rebels had even been made into indentured servants at the state border to guard against any attacks from rebels in Pennsylvania or New Jersey, two states with high rebellious sentiment outside of Appalachia. Those two regions were ones with many leaders of rebel groups that were known to the Irkens. They had a lot of organization and an attitude that the freedom of humanity was more important than their own lives. Gaz knew that if they had managed to get the New York rebels to join them, which the Armada was going to have a real problem on their hands. Sending troops from Irk and Vort to Earth would take a very long time. By the time they would get there, the rebels may have very well taken control of the planet back. It really depended on who had Professor Membrane in their clutches. He was the brains that made many of mankind's recent advances. _I hope I can convince Dad to stay with me and help the Irkens…_ Gaz thought as she placed her hand on her abdomen again. _He may want to care more about his grandchild than Dib. I mean he never really took Dib seriously at all. I just hope he hasn't been taken in by any rebel groups…_

"Any word yet from Skoodge?" Gaz asked as Zim walked into the parlor and sat down.

"Nope. None, nothing. Catching Tak and/or that Kat girl may prove to be tougher than he thought it would be…" Zim said putting his hand on his chin.

"Wait, did he say that that was the name of the girl he found?" Gaz said turning around.

"Well yeah, he heard someone call to her as Kat…" Zim said, looking amazed that Gaz didn't know this already.

Gaz paused for a moment. Hearing the two names so close together made her think. _Tak…Kat…sounds a lot alike. If Tak was in disguise and met someone she needed to meet while at the same time trying to hide from any people in the area who may want her dead, spelling the name backwards would work. There is only one person on the planet that she would need to do that trick for and that is…_ Gaz thought as she looked up and screamed, "DIB!"

"What about that Dib-stink?" Zim asked. He had never eliminated Dib; even now that he was governor of Earth.

"How is Tak's name spelled again?" Gaz said wanting to change the subject from what was just most likely a bizarre paranoid theory.

"In English or Irken?" Zim asked.

"English you retard, I am not writing to the Tallest here you idiot." Gaz said.

"T…A…K… Tak." Zim said.

"And Kat can be spelled K…A…T" Gaz said. "Check to see if Skoodge is even alive. Kat is Tak and if Skoodge has tried to capture her, he is most likely injured or dead. Tak's skills far outweigh Skoodge's." She was pretty much the brains of Zim's reign as Governor of Earth, so this was second nature to her. She was Professor Membrane's daughter after all. Logical thinking was second nature to the Membrane clan.

"I think that Skoodge is alive. I mean he did conquer Blorch before all this happened." Zim said looking at Gaz. "I think that pregnancy you have is making you paranoid."

"This is not paranoia, it is thinking. Zim, we cannot drop our guard. Dib went into Pennsylvania, a state with high sentiments against us and much land for rebels to hide. By now he could have made it to…" Gaz looked at the map of Pennsylvania. "This town in the center of the state called 'State College' or heck; he may have headed to the capitol of the state!"

"That'd be stupid. I mean there are outposts not too far where the old National Guard posts were. I mean we run Fort Indiantown Gap which is about 30 miles to the east of there…" Zim said.

"Yeah, but Tak's last TRAK reading was only in North Eastern Pennsylvania for a while. She is probably with Dib and hiding out in that region. Why they would stay there is beyond me, but that is where they are at. Now, go see if you can connect to Skoodge's PAK and see if he is still fucking alive!" Gaz yelled shoving Zim back to his labs.

_Miyuki, I haven't been down here in a looooooong time…_ Zim thought as he headed down to his computer and said, "COMPUTER!"

"What? I was having a nice time in sleep mode for once." Zim's computer said.

"You know I am the governor of Earth now." Zim yelled.

"Yes I know this. I was the one that told you when the Tallest were coming you fool!" Zim's computer said. "But anyway, what do you want?"

"Find Skoodge's PAK. I haven't heard back from him in a very long time and Gaz needs to know where he is at." Zim ordered.

"I like dealing with Gaz more than you…" Zim's computer said.

"That's LADY GAZ to you." Zim said.

"Anyway…SEARCHING!" Zim's computer said as the word 'searching' appeared in Irken on the screen with an apple running back and forth on the screen. "FOUND!" The computer said as a picture of Skoodge appeared on the screen.

"Okay, where is he?" Zim said.

"Dead." ZIm's computer said. "Sources say that he was shot in the PAK with a shotgun pattern that matches that of one used commonly by humans who are hunting wild turkey. The PAK was destroyed and there was too much damage done to the Squedleyspooch."

"GAZ!" Zim yelled as Gaz ran down the stairs to the labs where Zim was.

"What is so important?" Gaz asked.

"Skoodge is dead. The computer has a lock on his location. He was last in a confrontation with a local with a shotgun, which is how he was killed." Zim said.

"Any word on Tak? He told me he was with her pretty much at time when he was killed. He was in a confrontation with a girl looking a lot like her old disguise." Gaz said.

"No, but the computer has Skoodge's location and coordinates. If Tak is anywhere nearby, her time is up. We know where she is and if anyone is helping her, their goose is cooked. We are going to be ruling this whole freaking solar system!" Zim said.

"Nice!" Gaz said pumping her fist in victory. "I am going to get my revenge on her after all."

"I love you my queen." Zim said pulling Gaz close and giving her a deep kiss.

**So how was that? Good? Bad? Make you hate Zim and Gaz even more? Let me know in a review. I am sorry it took so long to update, but I finally got to it. I assure you I am going to finish this one. A big battle is coming up soon, so as soon as I can I am going to get the next chapter up. Anyway, remember to read, well you just did, and review. Ciao for now,**

**Otherrealmwriter**

**Aka**

**Realm.**


	15. The Gaz Issue

**I don't own Invader Zim okay? I don't have too much to say here but thanks for all the people who read this. Anyway, enough of this A/N, on with the fic!**

Dib opened the door of the room he was sleeping in and looked around. He headed towards the bathroom and shut the door. When he finished in the bathroom, he peeked out and saw Frank, his father Professor Membrane and Kathy sitting on one couch and on the other side; back to the wall the bathroom was an armchair with a pair of curly antenna that looked extremely familiar. _ Oh god! That's Tak and she is not in her Kat disguise! Something bad must have happened! _ Dib thought. Part of him knew that the Rendells couldn't blame him. He was Undesirable Number One after all; they knew what they would get into when they took him in. If Tak was with him, Dib could convince Frank she had turned sides for them. Yet Frank was furious at Irk for the loss of his son, imprisoning of his daughters and destruction of this family's centuries old way of life. He could easily have thought that Tak turned Dib spy for Irk. He knew what Dib was to Irk and to the rebels. He got up and waved to him rather cordially.

"Now I know that is not bedhead." Frank said. "Tak…" he said with a note of disdain. While they agreed to work together, he was not happy about it. "…told me how you fooled Irken guards by cutting off your 'dead giveaway'. Even singing the ends to make it look real! Nice. Sometimes I think you're smarter than your old man over here." He said motioning to Professor Membrane.

"He's got his mother's brain is all." Professor Membrane said.

Dib blushed and looked away, "So, I can tell that you know that Kat is really Tak now…" Dib said.

"How do you know that we didn't just capture Tak and Kat is just somewhere else?" Frank asked getting a chance to test Dib's brain.

Dib looked over at Tak and then to Frank and then nodded. He knew that Frank was testing him, for whatever reason he didn't know. Dib sighed and then went on to explain. "Because Tak is here uninjured and I know that even with all of their technology, Irkens don't heal that fast Also, Frank doesn't look too happy, he looks more like there is an arrangement he didn't want to be in. If he had captured Tak on his own, he'd be ecstatic and she'd be badly injured if not dead. So, I may be assuming and still be sick, but fill me in, for Frank, my dad and Tak to be on the same side, even begrudgingly," Dib said at the death glares Tak and Frank kept giving each other, "Something major had to have happened. What was it?"

Tak, Professor Membrane and Frank looked at each other. They all knew how Dib felt about Gaz. While Dib was there when Gaz had renounced her family's blood, but they didn't know how it would have sunk in with Dib. Professor Membrane was taking it hard but swore to fight Irk and if she was siding with Irk then he would have to fight her as well. Dib might take it harder than him and even be in denial about Gaz. He could never quite accept that she liked Zim, even before the Invasion. Part of Professor Membrane thought that she was siding with Irk just to spite him. With Professor Membrane never around too much while they were growing up, it was quite possible in Dib's mind that Gaz would do something like that. Then as if they come to the consensus at the same time, Frank and Tak nodded to Professor Membrane and then to Dib. He nodded showing that he understood them and their message and went up to Dib, placing his hand on his shoulder, getting ready to deliver news so bad, that it was almost as if he had to tell the toddler Dib that his mother had died all over again.

"Son, Gaz is now an enemy. She sent Skoodge after Tak so that she could get her job. Not to get Tak off the trail of either of us, but for the job. I am guessing that because she is with Zim, she knows all Irk does about what happened to Tak. It appears that for all intents and purposes, your younger sister Gaz is not to be trusted anymore. Professor Membrane said while he placed his hand on Dib's shoulder. Just by looking at him, Professor Membrane knew that this was hurting Dib deeply. He could feel tears in his own eyes, and his goggles could hide that easily, but Dib could not. He lifted his arm up to his eyes and wiped away the tears he was crying. He had grown up with Gaz and then seeing her turn him over to the Irkens broke him more than ever.

Tak saw how Dib was taking the news and looked down at her feet. Irkens would normally just take the fact someone they were close to had betrayed them more systematically. For them it was just like finding out you had a new enemy that was all. It didn't hurt them, it just motivated them to find the person who betrayed them and kill them and destroy them. Irkens were taught from birth that emotions were not to be valued at all; they were to be turned off. While female Irkens could feel more than male Irkens could, it was still a minimal amount of emotion. Yet, somehow Tak could feel Dib's pain in a way. She didn't want to admit it to the Tallest that she cared for Dib because this job they had for her was the only way she could escape floating around in space for all eternity. Deep inside when the Tallest gave Tak her mission, she knew she could best track Dib and if things got too bad with her relations with Zim and Irk, she could help Dib escape.

"Dib, I know this must be hard on you and hearing it from me can't be of any help, but if Gaz could do to you what she did despite all you tried to do for her when you two were younger, then she is only to be seen as a biological sibling. She is not your sister." Tak said. "A sister, a true sister would have stood up for you. A sister would have at least tried to stall Irk from chasing you when it came to the issue of your capture. Gaz did none of those things. She even did the opposite, she helped Irk try and find you. She is not worth defending." Tak knew that mentioning Gaz was pregnant with Zim's child could not be good for him to hear. Tak just wasn't sure how he would take the news.

"But…but… I looked after her while we were young. Part of the reason I worked so hard to prove Zim was an alien was so she could be safe. Not as Zim's harlot but safe with us." Dib cried. "She can't do this."

"I'm sorry I worked so hard that you had to do that son." Professor Membrane said. "I am trying to make it up to you by helping Frank and Tak develop the best weapons and ammo for the rebels. Is that okay?"

"That's okay." Dib said. "I just can't believe that Gaz has turned on me and is trying to kill me."

"Well she is." Tak said. Dib looked away from her, tears flowing from his eyes. Tak could tell that if it came to it, Gaz would more than easily use deadly force against any of them. If that was the case, then Frank and Tak would have no problem using the same amount of force right back at them. Dib didn't know whether or not his father would but it seemed more and more likely that he would too. Each day that went by, he sounded more and more like Frank. Dib even once heard Professor Membrane call Irkens, 'Those damned bugs.' That made Dib sure that if it came down to it, even though Gaz was his daughter, he would be just like Frank and Tak and be willing to use deadly force against her too. Dib however, didn't want to hurt her at all, no matter what she did to him. Dib just couldn't bring himself to do it, no matter if it would cost him his life, Dib could just not do anything to Gaz.

"We should at least give her a chance to surrender. Please?" Dib cried looking at Tak, Frank, Professor Membrane and even Kathy hoping somebody would see his plight and be willing to give her mercy. "Dad?" he asked. Seeing him look away he turned to Frank, "Frank? You hate Irkens and want to help the humans!"

"Sorry son, but she made her choice! Just like Tak made hers to join us! It doesn't matter where you are born, it is what you choose." Frank said. "Like Little Miss Ant Queen here proved." Frank said begrudgingly as he cleared the shells from his shotgun and placed them on the table in front of Tak.

"Right back at you Stink Monkey Pig Smelly." Tak said. It was becoming more and more obvious to anyone that Frank and Tak were only working together because they had the same goal of toppling the Irken Empire on Earth.

Dib, seeing his plight with Frank useless, he turned to Kathy hoping that he could appeal to her maternal side. "Kathy? What if she was one of your daughter captive in the hybridization projects?!" Dib pleaded hoping to turn Kathy sympathetic to him.

"Gaz is not one of my daughters in the hybridization projects though. At first, when the planet was first Invaded, we thought she was when she was presented with Zim, but after her actions towards your father, you and why she sent Skoodge to kill Tak, we have to assume she is an enemy combatant." Kathy said. "You see Frank and I were both in the service together and when we were discharged I tended the store and became a veterinarian and Frank was in the Pennsylvania National Guard. We know how these things work. I can recall how devastated Frank was when he heard Fort Indiantown Gap had fallen. You see, he was friends with the sergeant over the motor pool there. Gaz could have used her influence to help win the humans easier treatment but she didn't. She is just an Irken in human skin to us now."

"It can't be! She wouldn't! Maybe she just told Skoodge that so he would do what she asked him without too many questions! I know she wouldn't want that. I mean the Tallest would come down on her hard and Zim kill her if she tried to start a coop in Irken power, and killing Tak would do that." Dib said, trying to make sense of what all he heard and somehow in his mind prove Frank, Kathy, Professor Membrane and Tak wrong on how to treat Gaz.

"Take it from me Dib," Tak said, joining in on placing her had on Dib's shoulders. She was on the other side of Professor Membrane who was on the other side of Dib and placed her hand on his left shoulder. "I know how Irkens work well, I am one. Skoodge told me everything Gaz told him and then told me things that were going on in her home life with Zim. It was as if he was saying things and rambling on about things that they didn't want anyone to know."

Dib just stood there silently, almost catatonic. It had sunk in finally. Gaz was no longer really his sister and she didn't care for him. She loved Zim and the Irkens more than she did her father and her brother and humanity. Frank was right, it all came down to your choices and she had picked the wrong side. He couldn't bear to be around any of them anymore and ran back to his sickbed. He lay down and cried. It didn't bother him so much when Tak was trying to kill him to find that Gaz was now trying to kill Tak and him. To feel the one person you thought you had such a connection, such a bond with turn and side with the people who want you dead was something that was just too much to bear.

"Dib?" Tak asked as she walked into the room. "Can I come in?"

"Sure," Dib said through tears. "But I hope you don't mind my personal level of devastation."

"I get it." Tak said holding him close to her, turning on her paste suit so his tears wouldn't hurt her. "You cared for Gaz more than anything, I think sometimes more than you did me. Not that I am upset about that and what she did to me, or tried to do, had to have snapped something in you. Unlike your father, it didn't make you want to fight, it broke your heart. Forgive me but from what your father said, you are a lot like your mother."

"Yeah, people say I look like a clone of my dad but he always says that he reminds him so much of my mother Penelope that there are times it is hard to come home." Dib said.

"Well think, what would your mother do?" Tak asked. "She was a doctor before she was killed."

"Yeah, and she treated everyone fairly." Dib said. "She fought for the person till there could be nothing done. She made many insurance companies' hit list for that idea. Funny that it was the gangstas who ended up killing her in that drive-by, not the insurance companies." Dib paused and thought. He had a duty to humanity like his father and his mother did that came to tough decisions. Like with his father on if something would be better for humanity than his pocketbook and his mother on when to call it for the time of death. They fought for the greater good. That was what mattered here. People all over Earth were being oppressed and Dib had sworn to protect as many as he could. "I will fight with you guys. But, and don't tell Frank this, if I fight Gaz, I will take her prisoner, not kill her."

"There's the Dib I know." Tak said hugging him. She looked into his eyes and then kissed him deeply, holding onto the one passion she had left on Earth. "I love you so much."

"I love you too Tak." Dib said.

**So how was that? Good? Bad? Lacked on action? Heavy on drama? Let me know in a review. I want to thank all my fans who kept me going on this chapter, even though a crash made me have to type half of it over again. Anyway, remember to read (Well you just did) and review! Ciao for now,**

**Otherreamwriter**

**AKA**

**Realm. **


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